Even the Ruthless Fall in Love
by ErieDragon
Summary: When Radditz arrived on Earth, why was he such a heartless killer? Maybe not all Saiyans were just that way. An exploration of Radditz' life before Earth, with his unique new Saiyan friend, Khune. Adventures and a bitta lemon, can they survive?
1. Two Tails

D'oh! I made an uncharacteristically stupid error... I forgot disclaimers o.O;

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z, I do not claim to own Dragon Ball Z, and even though I'd like to, I don't own any of it's characters and I am NOT making a PENNY off this fanfic! So there.

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE – Chapter 1: Two Tails

Hey peoples! This is my first EVER fanfic, so PLEASE give me some slack ^_^ All comments and criticisms are welcome, and suggestions too. I'm considering making the follow-up chapters longer, but I need your advice. My email is maxchick@mad.scientist.com. This story was originally going to be about a character that appeared later in the story, but I realized that the beginning (or what I originally intended to be the prologue) was just too long and had to be a story within itself! The sequel to this will be "The Cousin", but since that isn't here yet, check this out!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  


"Don't even THINK about it," he threatened, tail twitching and whipping the air so forcefully that small sparks rode upon its tip. Rounding upon her adversary, the small creature lunged.  


"Haha, missed me, now you gotta kiss me!" The pigheaded boy laughed, stepping aside as his friend dove past him. Dusting herself off, she turned back for another round.   


"Why you.." Lunging again, she tackled him to the ground.  


"Oof!" He tumbled into the dirt with a thump, looking up at the girl's defiant smirk as she sat on his stomach. One hand on his chest and the other forming a small energy ball, she grinned devilishly and he rocketed off the ground, knocking her to her knees. Laughing, she jumped into the air after him and they resumed sparring while airborne.   
Even at the young age of ten, he had a high widow's peak and prominently long, black hair. He was taller than most Saiyans at his age, an advantage and not, the latter most commonly. His younger female friend always managed to use everything and anything against him if she could. She was much shorter, and sported a very non-Saiyan feature: Green hair. Green hair that was cropped short due to the fact it loved to sprout out in every direction, and daring to tame it was futile. Her eyes were a valiant emerald color, something her male friend had noticed when he first met her.   


Finally, she gave in, exhausted. Toppling to the ground, she wiped her forehead and spread out on the soft grass. Raising an eyebrow, her friend hovered a few feet overhead.   


"Are you just going to stare at me or are you going to get your ass out of the sky, like the wishful creature you are?" She inquired snidely, grinning. He snorted, consenting to sit on the ground beside her. She turned onto one side and supported her head with her hand, resting her elbow upon the grass. "Radditz, what are you going to be when you grow up?" She asked, not fully realizing the stupidity of her question. He smirked and humored her.   


"I'm going to be the greatest fighter in the universe," he stated. Then seeing her restrained, almost-doubled-over-in-laughter face, added, "just so I can really kick your ass." They laughed, and he flopped over onto the ground as well, staring into the deep red sky. It glowed like a million blood rubies at once, and she examined his permanently furrowed black eyebrows.   


"Khune, if you must know, I want to grow up to be just like me." He turned to look at her and grinned. They were stupid little kids and they knew it, but didn't care. They were being trained to be cold and heartless killers, and around their tutors they were, but out here alone they could be kids. Radditz's tail waved in the air beside him in front of her, and Khune responded by tapping it with hers. He had known her since they had been sent off as children initially; both had carried out their missions and returned to Earth at six years old, where they met and had been best friends since. Rounding on his thirteenth birthday and she on her twelfth, they were not closely monitored by their elders. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It's not fair! His thoughts screamed, his head spinning as he watched his best friend pound her fists ineffectively at the transparent window of her pod. They were sending her off, and they wouldn't let him go with her! Radditz didn't care if his father was disapproving at his son's foolish behavior. He growled as he held the boy by a rope binding his hands, Radditz couldn't let her go. She would probably die, but Frieza just thought of her as another disposable minion.   


"Shutup, you. I have to leave, and your brother will arrive shortly. Attend to his mother if you need something to do," the harsh man's voice came as no consolation. The boy didn't respond as he struggled against his father's tight grasp.   


__

Khune! Please don't make her go, his mind churned frantically as his heart beat faster. His green-haired companion ran out of energy from trying to escape, and fell against the back of her seat in defeat. Radditz bared his teeth and turned, threatening his father who stood behind him, unaffected. Wriggling to get free, a boot connected with the boy's calves and knocked him onto the ground. The pod began to power up and the hatch before it closed, the ship zooming into the black sky with a flash of light. Getting to his feet, the Saiyan boy recomposed himself but remained with his head hanging.   


All she remembered was falling asleep, her face red and her fists sore. But when she awoke, the surrounding countryside was much different; it was vast and green, covered with sparse trees and thick grass. There was no sky; the great expanses of space were revealed to the world even as two suns bore down on its surface. Khune climbed out of her pod slowly, her red scouter silent. This planet was listed as extremely hostile; her briefing had informed her that a full moon could supply her with all the force required. Looking around, she took to the air.   


Surveying the planet, she had discovered small villages. The inhabitants seemed peaceful, so she decided to attempt at some food before completely eradicating them. Her stomach churned, and she wrapped her tail around her waist before descending. The villagers quickly scattered, their robes and shawls fluttering around their hairy bodies. Her scouter hardly flickered at their weak energy readings, and she proceeded to approach one of the aliens. It flinched and jumped backwards as she approached, but she slowly began to speak.   


"Food." The alien stared at her, then its eyes lit up as if someone had just given it the gift it had always wanted. Bewildered, Khune followed it with her eyes as it motioned towards what must've been its tent. Un-assured, she kept pace at a distance behind it. Realizing her reluctance, the creature removed its hood and stepped into the tent, leaving her outside without invitation. Tapping her foot, the twelve-year-old Saiyan waited with traditional impatience for the creature to return.   


But man was she happy when it did.   


The alien returned, carrying an enormous plateful of food in his hairy arms. It must have been extremely heavy, for it was at least three feet wide and filled with all kinds of delectable things, from the small, roasted beast in the middle to the endless fruits that decorated the plate's rim. The alien put two fingers to his lips and made a loud, sonic trill. A large beast with a flat back appeared, its long neck almost dragging on the ground. As the plate was set upon the back of the strange, almost reptilian creature, Khune dove headfirst into the meal.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Radditz kept a silent vigil, his arms crossed behind his back, his tail swishing freely in the morning air. Saiyans were extremely lazy when it came to sleeping, and not many of his fellows would be up at this hour in the morning. Today was his initiation; he was turning 13 (by our years), and he was ready to become a man.

This was one of those times when Radditz wished he could hear his best friend's mocking laugh, or ruffle her hair when she stomped in frustration after being beaten again. He fought back tears and continued to stare absently at the horizon. He had wanted to share this day with her, prove that he was and would be a great fighter… but no, he realized that she would know that, whether or not he "proved" it to her. Khune had always seemed wise beyond her years when she wasn't lunging at him in a mad rage, or clawing her poor opponent's eyes out. Radditz grinned absent mindedly at the thought and his tail flicked the air. 

****

Now if y'all don't know, these lil stories in italics are FLASHBACKS. Let's continue, shall we? = )

The small, green-haired girl stepped out of her pod, surveying what she was told to be her "home." She had completed her mission by transforming under the three full moons of the planet she had been assigned to as a baby, and now she was home after making quick work of it. A tall, black-haired boy made his way nonchalantly past her bouncy landing site, his nose in the air, an action that was usually reserved to nobles. Unsure of what to do or where to go, she waved down this passing stranger. At such a young age, she couldn't comprehend him as "handsome", "dashing", or any other attractive physical traits, so she hopped across the vinyl balloon-like pod catcher towards him without fear.

"Hey!" She called, and the boy stopped, turning to face her. "I just now come-d in, what am I s'posed ta do?" The boy raised one angry set, thick black eyebrow and opened his arms, shrugging.

"I don't know any better than you do," he said. The girl's green hair was a giant mane that enveloped her head and neck, while her eyes blazed with life and the irises were a lovely jade color. 

"Well then, how bouts we go lookin' togetha?" She suggested, grinning foolishly. The black-haired boy with a high widow's peak cracked a grin, smoothing back his long, unruly mane.

Radditz smiled, remembering the day they had met. These past seven years were calm on Vegeta-sei, but the ruling fist was coming down harder and harder on the people every day. It was the effect of Frieza for sure.

The teenage boy jumped out of his skin when a hand landed on his shoulder. 

"You know you shouldn't be attached to anyone or anything. What is your problem, boy?" His father scolded, turning the boy around manually. 

"Y'can't prove anything, and I don't have one," was the calm response. Raising an eyebrow, the Saiyan warrior watched his son's downcast eyes.

"You're going to be a man today. Time to let all those childish feelings go," the man said smoothly. Radditz glared up, a vein becoming slightly pronounced on the extra forehead his widow's peak exposed. His father smirked, impressed with his son's anger.

"Bardock! Your team is leaving, and they sent me to find you," a small, green-faced alien gasped as he stumbled up to them, his heavy breathing obviously due to running here clear from the take-off docks.

"Tell them I'll be right there," the man responded, waving away the messenger. 

"Yessir!" The alien bowed and ran off. Looking back to his son, Bardock shook his head and wrapped his tail tightly around his waist.

"Forget about her. You need your energy and a clear head for tonight." With that, the warrior turned around and disappeared inside the complex behind them.

I won't forget about you, Radditz thought to himself as he imagined his best friend, a little green-haired demon, giving him the classic middle finger and smirking. He turned around and headed back inside, remembering the way she used to wrap her tail around his and punch him in the arm playfully, which actually hurt but he didn't dare show it.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Khune wiped her face with the back of her hand after completely demolishing the food that had been set before her. A crowd of the pointy eared, pig-nosed, hairy aliens had gathered, and a third plateful of food was set before the drooling Saiyan. Finally, after finishing it off, she sat back in resignation.

Khune had discovered that these creatures were incredibly strong for having no real energy to speak of, and seemed to greatly enjoy feeding and entertaining guests. They didn't seem to mind that she was a strange alien who had flown into their village from the sky; the creatures were relatively simple-minded, understood some basic words that she spoke, but didn't appear to speak a language of their own. Khune was completely bewildered as to why this planet was classified as hostile, perhaps Frieza wanted one of his ruthless minions to cleanse the surface without second-guessing. She was young and naïve, but at least she knew it.

Perhaps there is something I can do for them after all, she thought to herself, as the creatures began some sort of dance that was obviously meant as entertainment. She clapped her hands to the beat and her tail waved freely, to the fascination of nearby aliens.

Khune began to formulate a plan. The planet's inhabitants were primitive, and she knew that if she failed her mission to destroy them, she would be killed and someone more ruthless would be sent to finish the job. She was not expected to return home; to the folks back on Vegeta-sei, she was dead. Although Frieza and his minions were powerful and lived by the rules of science, they were also extremely superstitious. Perhaps she could use this.

Only one person had ever appreciated her brain over her brawn: her best friend. She had no family, for Khune had been informed of both her parents' demise at the hands of the Caspians, a space-faring race which shot pods out of the sky for fun. She didn't mind, really, living under the instruction of a grumpy, elder Saiyan. He wasn't a blood-lusting monster like many of the others, and he had attempted to pass some of this onto her. He had succeeded at some level, but he had refused to be present when she was sent off after Frieza demanded a younger fighter be sent to deal with the "hostile" planet.

The little girl dug her toe into the ground, staring at her feet. Her old, dark, Saiyan mentor loomed over her, holding a struggling little boy by the collar above her head.

"What is this?!" He demanded angrily, shaking the boy, which he had found lurking under her windowsill outside the room. She shuffled her feet and looked up at her wild, black-haired friend dangling in the air.

"My friend," she responded quietly, closing her green eyes and bracing for the verbal and/or physical onslaught. The old warrior watched her, his face still etched angrily. Suddenly, he softened at her sincere reply.

"Very good," her sensei said calmly, setting the shocked boy down. "Now you two go off and play, don't get into trouble, and maybe you can sleep over tonight if you'd like," he said to the stricken children. In a rush, the two dashed off before he could change his mind.

Khune smiled at the memory. She and Radditz had gone out in the middle of the night and terrorized some of the local villagers by pretending to be ghosts, until her friend had stepped on a small Watcher's tail and its scream had foiled them.

She had made her decision; she stepped up to the alien, which appeared to be the leader.

"I wish to stay here," she stated. The creature tilted his hairy snout and raised an eyebrow.

"I-wish-to-stay-here," Khune repeated slowly. Suddenly, the image of a large question mark appeared in her head. Shocked, she took a few steps back before it clicked. _That's why they don't speak, they communicate telepathically. When I asked for food, I must have imagined it in my mind and that's how they understood me! _She laughed at the simplicity and closed her eyes, imagining a picture of herself talking to the villagers and looking perfectly at home. She opened her eyes to what must have been the equivalent of a smile for these odd creatures. She was replied to with an image of the aliens, arms outstretched in welcome.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Email me with comments, criticisms, compliments, or requests to be on my mailing list (alerts sent when the next chapter gets put up) at maxchick@mad.scientist.com.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Chapter 2: The Stutter-Fest will be posted when I return home from this Kami-forsaken vacation ^_^ *cheering from the sandy beaches of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida as she leaves the bowels of hell and returns home to arid Colorado* That should be around Friday or the following weekend (March 29), so hold onto your britches and tell me what you think!

PLEASE R&R!


	2. The Stutter-Fest

Disclaimer: No matter how much I pray or wish, I do NOT own Dragon Ball Z, or claim to own it, or any of it's characters... What do you want from me?!?!

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 2 – The Stutter-Fest

I wrote this before I could get any of your helpful comments, for I was banned from the internet after being caught up at 2:30 A.M. typing up the first chapter.. Ugh. *^_^* Here I am, flushing in embarrassment. My mom's friend gets to be my mom this week, and she's very easygoing and is letting me sign on long enough to type and post this. I don't know how it will turn out; reviews, suggestions, comments, and criticisms are all 

welcome!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Almost out of breath, he used his last small amount of energy to dive for the creature. Pinning the enormous beast to the ground by one if it's rear legs, Radditz slowly made his way onto the monster's back as it snapped and roared at him. The boy angled himself perfectly, then impaled the animal's skull with a small, mild energy blast. Climbing off and turning the creature over, he began the slow process of skinning it. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

After they had dressed her in the village's traditional attire, the population gathered to hear Khune's story. She openly relayed it picture by picture, followed by the occasional thought; she began by telling them about Vegeta-sei. Avoiding a few of the more gruesome aspects of her race (for she had noticed these people were sensitive and seemed to be very sheltered), she sent out the first image of Frieza. Shocked and frightened gasps echoed through the crowd; he was not exactly a chilling sight, small in stature and not too frighteningly ugly, but they definitely could sense his immense power and the evil that went with it. She explained to the best of her ability how he operated, and how he wanted to eradicate them. This sent another series of shocked gasps through the crowd, and she began to debate whether she should tell them of her involvement in the whole plot. 

That's when the first question appeared, solving her dilemma. She didn't know who it was from, but it asked quite candidly,

So why are you_ telling us this? _Khune pondered for a moment before responding. She decided it would be best to tell them the truth. These people seemed to thrive on honesty, because hiding things when your only means of communicating was telepathy ended up being exceedingly difficult. At first they were shocked at the revelation that she had been sent to destroy them; Khune described how they had been classified as hostile, but she made sure to explain that now she knew otherwise. Finally, she relayed how Frieza would send forces to investigate the failed eradication and described her plan to scare them off and hopefully use the tyrant's superstitious nature against him. After this series of revelations, Khune added that she would do whatever she could to protect them.

She wasn't sure of why she cared at all. It was against her Saiyan nature, the nature that wanted her to simply destroy them and move on, maybe even return home to her closest friend. But something needed to be done here; maybe Sensei had influenced her more than he could know. 

By this time, the aliens had realized she was much different than the cold-blooded killers she had portrayed the Saiyans to be. Suddenly, the creatures began throwing their arms up in the air and making a trilling sound that resembled cheering. Khune grinned and pushed herself off the ground, rising into the air, much to the amusement of the aliens. The trilling became so loud the ground shook and several tents collapsed.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Radditz had already finished cleaning the skin and had it draping over his shoulders as he began to cut open the flesh. He searched for the illustrious vital organs, withdrawing a tied bag made of tailskins. After stuffing two stomachs, three hearts, half of the remaining undamaged brain and a few other lonely organs into the parcel, he promptly took to the air and returned home.

That very night he was due to be sent off. It was a few weeks after Khune's departure, and he was in the process of wishing her a happy birthday when his father approached him, bearing an unreadable expression.

"Son, I have the…" he paused, considering his words carefully. "Obligation of informing you that Khune is presumed dead. Her Sensei just thought you would like to know." Bardock examined the boy's face as he delivered the news. The teenager's eyebrows lowered and his arm trembled slightly before he silenced it by squeezing the muscle with the opposite hand. His father gave him a lopsided smirk and took the bag of bloody organs from him.

"You're a man," he said, leading his son towards the departure station. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Radditz had never felt himself cry before. No one could see him out here in space, so he let the tears flow freely. He hated everyone, everyone hated him. He was irritable, not exactly feared but strong nevertheless, and only one person saw past that. Now she was gone. He saw her bright green hair, her lively emerald eyes. Wearing her buff armor, her tail flicking behind her, he imagined Khune charging at him.

__

"Put 'em up!" Stepping backwards a few steps, she raised her arms in the air 

submissively as he powered up an energy ball. He looked down to see the ball of blue energy forming in his palm, a mistake he soon realized when he looked up and she was gone. Cursing, the boy frantically searched for his female opponent, and discovered her location behind him too late as she got a good punch into the back of his head. Rolling forward, he held his neck and turned around, growling.

"What was THAT for?!" He demanded. She smirked.

"For calling me a pussy the other day," the girl responded, flying up to him so her face was right in his. He began to stutter "buts" when she grinned like a mischievous little demon, which she was. His evil glare faltered as she poked him in the face with her tail. Catching him off-guard, she got him thoroughly in the stomach with her knee. "And THAT was for apologizing afterwards!"

He laughed at the memory. Sleep soon began to overtake him.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Goons were a dime a dozen and just as easy to pound mercilessly into the ground. The new arrivals became few and far between as time progressed, and some of the later arrivals even presented a minute challenge… rarely. Khune came to the village she had first arrived at often, but began to travel the relatively large world for pleasure. Rarely did she have to explain herself to inhabitants she had never met before; either she had been very open with her initial presentation or word traveled very quickly, for she was greeted with open arms everywhere she went. Hundreds of animal species and types roamed the vast expanses of unpopulated grassland, but it would take a millennia to write about them all.

Khune wasn't worshipped, but they recognized her almost like a god, the guardian of their planet. They had no idea she was just a child at the time, although a few commented on her short appearance. When she saw the images passed from individual to individual, she had transformed to be depicted as a tall, gorgeous creature with a huge tail that created sparks in the air wherever it went, and had beautiful green hair that cascaded about her figure. For this reason, she refrained from haircuts and only closely associated with a few leading individuals.

Within four or five years, the attempts of Frieza's goons to destroy the planet disappeared. When she did run into one, they would be thrown into shock and start shrieking, "THE KAMI GHOST!!" and attempt to escape before she blew them into oblivion.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Rumor had it that planet NX29F4 was haunted with something called the "Kami Ghost", a creature so strong that it could dispose of any opponent instantly. Frieza's goons had never returned from that mission, and this fact was literally driving the tyrant to the brink of insanity. _Wait,_ Radditz thought to himself. _The _brink_ of insanity? He fell off the cliff a long time ago._

Vegeta-sei had been destroyed by a meteor after Radditz had been sent off, where he made quick work of his assignment. He was informed of the news several days after its occurrence via his hopelessly attached scouter, but his reaction had been quick and reflected his non-emotions. Not like anything was lost to him there. Two or three other Saiyans were left alive, but he could care less and switched the channel to Caspian International Television, where the space pirates were broadcasting brutal boxing matches.

He had pounced on his eighteenth birthday (by Earth years, again) and used it as an excuse to take a few days off. He really had no desire to go "conquer and destroy" on his time off, so he took a break and went in search of this illustrious "Kami Ghost." He personally didn't wish to die or anything, but it might be a pleasant change in pace to meet it head-on. Supposedly, one goon had returned from the planet alive and had described the creature as a huge, green-haired monster that had made quick work of his four companions while he had made a run for it. Radditz had chuckled to himself at the image that time, but now he took it slightly more seriously when some of Frieza's strongest goons hadn't returned. Setting coordinates for the assumed planet of location, 

the Saiyan climbed into his pod and took off.

The planet was a shining green marble, beautiful even to the wretched Saiyan's tastes. As he neared the planet, he felt an unusual shiver run down his spine. Perhaps this creature 

would be a match for him after all.

The pod came to a harsh landing, for there was not much atmosphere to speak of. The entire expanse was covered in grass, disappearing in every direction and looking utterly limitless. Radditz stepped out of the ship, examining his crater before clicking his scouter to life. His black hair had grown long, and his widow's peak had receded. This was strange, being that he was still in his teen years. The scouter picked up a small reading in the distance, and gradually increased. )^[]/, it flashed.

"A power level of 500?!" He screeched out loud. Suddenly, a shape appeared in the distance. It was followed by an immense white trail, and was definitely green… an oddly familiar shade of green. As it came closer, it wore olive and brown armor obviously constructed of natural resources and appeared more efficient than his own. The planet had no sky; it faced into the blackness of space. _Damnit, the planet has no moons! _

Oh well, he sighed and took off into the air. The figure instantly appeared in front of him, tackling him much faster than he had expected. It landed punch after punch mercilessly before backing off, forming a large green energy beam in its hands. Recovering, Radditz regained his composure and stared at the "Kami Ghost." Its face was hidden beneath that huge mane of familiar green hair, and a brown, furry tail flicked back and forth dangerously. "What the hell…?" The building energy ball quickly disappeared, leaving Radditz to stare in confusion.

"RADDITZ?!" Came a feminine voice. She pushed her hair out of the way… 

Saiyan features, jade eyes, a tail. Radditz went white, and she slowly flew towards him, examining the still, stone-faced figure from all sides.

Ohmigawsh.. His eyes were wide in shock, as her utterly familiar face shoved itself into his view. His tail was sticking straight out behind him, bristling, while the hair on his neck was standing on end. She examined his widow's peak then backed off, putting a hand on her chin.

"It HAS to be Radditz, for you smell just as bad as he does!" She laughed, obviously amusing herself. 

"I… I never thought I'd see you again," he confided quietly. His tail recovered from the shock and she drifted closer, their tails wrapping around each other for comfort.

"Here I am," Khune replied, giving him a genuine smile. That action was no impossible for him, so he smirked as best he could. Her eyes lit up and she burst out laughing, tackling him. They tumbled to the ground, and upon recomposing themselves, got to their feet. Radditz brushed himself off and Khune easily removed her light, grass-and-wood woven armor. His jaw dropped at her amazing figure, but quickly returned the joint to its rightful position and turned his head arrogantly. He tried to resist, but he couldn't avoid looking back as she grinned at him with a familiar but semi-battlehardened face.

Khune was appalled at how much he had changed. He was immensely tall, and long black hair spilled about him from his greatly drawn back hairline. He was covered in scars, his eyes were permanently set in a dangerously angry fashion. His muscles had filled out immensely since the last time she had seen him, and his tail was large and powerful as it wrapped itself like a furry belt around his waist. He wore the same armor as all the other goons; the trademark of Frieza.

"That has GOT to go," was the first thing she said. Raising an eyebrow, his scouter signaled a drop in the power eminating from her. "I've learned to hide my power to take Frieza's goons by surprise, now it drops on its own," Khune answered, judging his first question before he had a chance to ask it. "Your armor. You'll scare the villagers half out of their minds wearing Frieza's mark," she continued, indicating to his armor. "You _are_ going to hang around, aren't you?" She was talking faster than he could keep up. 

Frustrated, he contemplated how to best put it into words;

"Shut up!" Radditz exclaimed suddenly, and she stopped dead. He calmed down and she sensed the overreaction from his quick response. His voice was completely non-committal and not entirely serious, she knew instantly.

"Excuuuuuuse me! I haven't to anyone in five years, give me a break," she groaned, her tail sagging behind her. She turned and began to walk, Radditz taking up step beside her. He looked at her inquiringly and she gave him a classic half-smirk, the image of her as a rude, jumpy twelve-year-old appearing in his mind at the glance.

"The creatures here are peaceful. This planet had been classified as hostile, probably because Frieza wanted it cleansed without a second thought. The Letas, as they call themselves, communicate by telepathically transmitting images and thoughts to communicate to one another. I usually only speak briefly to Frieza's goons before I blow them to smithereens," Khune told him, grinning mischievously at her last sentence. He grinned back snidely and his tail waved free, feeling that there wouldn't be any threat here. He stopped and turned to look at her. 

"I… I missed you," he admitted, his cheek twitching. She brought a hand to his face and grinned, then, he punched her in the arm.

"Ow! What was THAT for?!" She demanded. Radditz sneered.

"THAT was for when you called me an asshole the day you left," he grabbed her by the neck and gave her an immense noogie. "And THIS is for when you apologized afterwards!" They laughed and continued walking, tails winding around each other.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Every villager in sight disappeared into their huts when they caught sight of Radditz. Khune had to lure out the leader, also her good friend. She explained that he was a fellow Saiyan, and was a friend that was not to be feared. The extremely trusting villagers stepped out of their tents, leaving Radditz oblivious to the exchange. 

Khune relayed an image of her companion dressed in fine, village robes similar to hers, and three female aliens hurriedly surrounded him. He growled and raised his arm threateningly, but his friend's icy glare stopped him short and the three creatures dragged the helpless Saiyan away. 

There was much commotion from the tent he had been tossed into, and soon after his armor came hurtling out the tent flap, closely followed by a few strands of hair and a ripped blue spandex suit. Just as quickly, Radditz was shoved out of the tent and stood, shocked.

He was adorned in a long, off-white robe with black, lighting-shaped streaks that uniquely matched his hair. His boots were replaced with oddly but efficiently designed sandals, his gloves removed to leave his strong, amazingly scar-free hands revealed. Radditz stood before her looking so shocked, she had the urge to turn around and check for a possible monster looming behind her. Khune grinned.

"You look-"

"Like a fucking flamer," he finished. She burst out laughing but he grunted and crossed his arms. She shrugged and turned to the largest tent, heading towards it. 

When she realized he wasn't going to follow her, she added, "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to eat alone!" Radditz jumped after her, grinning.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Between courses, they struck up conversation. If the village had found it difficult to feed one Saiyan before, two was another story. Radditz still couldn't grasp the concept of communicating with the Letas, so Khune didn't push it.

"What do you think Frieza will do when he finds out I'm here and what's been going on?" She asked, fingering a lock of her long green mane. Her friend shrugged, leaning back and sighing deeply.

"I really don't know… You should watch your back, though. Frieza's just about given up on this planet; my only fear is that he'll either send one of us Saiyans to try and sort things out, or he'll come himself," he pushed back his long black hair. 

"Well, that shouldn't matter. You and I both know Frieza's too damn lazy. I say we go in for the root of the problem," Khune said, tapping the table eagerly with her fingers. She had finally converted the Letas from using flat-backed beasts as eating surfaces to building small, wooden tables. Radditz shook his head.

"How? Everyone thinks you're dead. They'd definitely look at you funny if one day another Saiyan showed up at Frieza's doorstep." She shook off the confusion that his statement of "another Saiyan" gave her, and she leaned back with her arms crossed behind her head.

"Well, Frieza didn't register us back then, back when I was sent off. We were just "extras", probably still are," Radditz twitched, then stopped and corrected himself, allowing her to continue. "It's simple. Tell him you found me stranded on a planet, bring me back, and I'll use my old dirty tricks to hack into the mainframe and delete the Letas' files from the system." She grinned defiantly and her friend raised an eyebrow. Did the wonders of her brain never cease? Saiyans were trademarked as incredibly stupid, man, how she would show the universe. If there was anything left to prove.

"Awesome idea," he said tersely. Khune tilted her head and watched him, trying to pinpoint the cause of his distant expression. Finally, he turned his head. "I have to tell you something." She nodded, and came closer, as if she had to hear some sort of whisper-whisper secret. "Vegeta-sei was destroyed; by a meteor. You, me, and two or three other Saiyans are the only ones left." Her eyes widened.

"Even Sensei? Bardock? Our brothers and sisters? All gone?" Khune blinked rapidly, followed by one of his slow nods. "Oh no, fuck, no," she crumpled, and Radditz gently pulled her towards him with one strong arm.

"Shh… You've still got me. Now eat, our third course is here." 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"First, we have to do something about the hair." Radditz circled her, examining and calculating.

"My… hair?" She squeaked, grabbing onto a lock of her green mane possessively. He nodded solemnly and gently removed her hand, stepping back and bringing the tip of his tail up to the wild green waves. He stood back and swung with blinding speed, the furry appendage shedding the excess hair, trimming it to a small green bob as the remains fluttered to the ground in defeat. Khune dropped to her knees and began trying to collect up the hair, when Radditz put a hand on her shoulder and she gave up, rising to her feet 

again. 

"Now stop smiling. They'll think you're ill or something if you don anything except smirk and growl," he told her. Khune was about to laugh when she realized he was serious.

"I can handle that," she said out loud, but it was more of a self-assurance.

"Atta girl." He poked her face with his tail and she was about to tackle him when a message entered her thoughts. Tee, the village leader, called her.

"I just got a summons, it appears they're waiting for us outside," she said, taking him by the arm quickly and stepping out of the tent. Every villager was waiting on their knees, prostrating before her. Khune told them to rise and she sent Tee a questioning expressison. His significant other, Elle, stepped up to address the village.

****

[[Now, if y'all don't know, "prostrating" means to bow close to the ground (nothing sexual!) very humbly, like y'all should be doing to me!]]

"Open your mind," she whispered to Radditz. Elle began, describing how Khune had come to them, had fought off Frieza's minions valiantly (with a few exaggerated depictions), and was now leaving. A series of murmurs and disgruntled trills echoed through the crowd, but Khune waved her hand, bowed, and took off into the air, leaving messages of "thank you" in their minds and dragging along a still semi-clueless Radditz behind her.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Radditz asked as they flew away from the small village. "Those aliens really appreciate you."

"Yes, I'm sure. They're on their own now. When I wipe their information from the main frame they shouldn't be in danger anymore," she assured him, being careful not to smile as she considered him with soft, emerald eyes. He "hmph"ed as they came to the crater where he had crashed so… gracefully.

"You've become soft," Radditz commented as he got the pod going. Dusting off the clear, memory-ridden portal on the door of the ship, he leaned against it and glanced at her.

"My pod was ransacked by some grass beasts," she said, avoiding the subject. "They crapped all over it." He chuckled nastily, gaining him a smirk. 

"We'll make it, but first, let's discuss protocol." Khune flopped to the grassy ground, supporting herself by locking her elbows behind her. She had acquired the bad habit from roaming the planet on one of her bouts of boredom during the quieter times. Radditz rolled his eyes and began to pace.

"Don't smile, don't talk (excessively anyway, but knowing you, just try to keep your mouth shut), don't let your tail free and don't argue unless I tell you to," he stopped and turned, bending down and looking into her deep, jade eyes added, "And for all they know, we're not friends." He smiled and helped his stunned companion to her feet. Radditz put an arm around her shoulders and tapped her cheek with his tail affectionately, bringing her back to reality.

"Yessir," she replied dully. He pressed the hatch, giving her a noogie as it opened. Radditz climbed into the pod and Khune followed, sitting on his lap. She tapped a few buttons and the door closed. Her Saiyan chair reached past her and padded in the coordinates, putting his arms around her waist to keep her from flying forward as the pod blasted into space. Slowly, their tails went limp as the two perfectly fit creatures drifted off to sleep.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

MAN was that fun writing! ^_^ And it took like, NO time at all! I did the last few parts while sitting in a Thai restaurant gulping down old, flavorless chicken wonton soup, but that stuff sure does make for a cute ending = ) Email me with your comments and suggestions, reviews and criticisms at maxchick@mad.scientist.com!

PLLLEEEEAAAASSSEEEE R&R!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Chapter 3: The Tyrant, The Mission, The Kiss?!?!


	3. The Tyrant, The Mission, The Kiss?!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own or claim to own Dragon Ball Z (although that was my wish on my birthday cake) or any of it's characters! Plus I'm butt poor, so there's no point suing me.

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 3 – The Tyrant, The Mission, The 

Kiss?!?!

There really is no appropriate message I can put here to prepare you for this chapter… I know for a fact that Radditz could NOT have been this mushy, but maybe, JUST maybe, Khune was the one person who could make him such a sweetheart = ) Don't let this discourage you, it's still plenty full of traditional Saiyan banter.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Email me with comments, criticisms, reviews, questions, or whatever else at 

maxchick@mad.scientist.com = ) 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The ship was enormous. It loomed ahead, and must have been at least the radius of an entire planet. The small pod headed straight for one of the smaller docks, where a small, bouncy landing pad awaited them. Frieza's ship did not have many weapons on board, but small doors along the sides could release hundreds of warriors at once into space to defend it. The designs were not intricate or original; the vehicle was designed for speed and maneuverability, not beauty.

Khune was the first to open her eyes. Rubbing them free of any sleep-formed debris, she peered out of the clear circular portal on the pod's door. She jumped back in shock, awaking Radditz, who removed his arms from her waist and yawned. 

"It's… huge," she muttered with wild eyes. Grunting, he reached past her and tapped a few codes into the pad as they neared the dock. It would be another five minutes at least.

"No kidding. Come on, it's Frieza," he rolled his eyes and lay back against the padded interior. Tail twitching, Khune followed suit and sat against a side-wall, her legs draped over her companion's knees. She sighed and watched the huge ship loom closer.

"We go in, get introduced, and while you wrestle an assignment out of Frieza I'll hack into the mainframe," she recited, counting off each task on her fingers. Radditz nodded and crossed his arms, yawning again. 

"Calm, controlled, and full of attitude," he said, his tail waving about freely until it found his waist, wrapping around like a furry belt. Khune nodded in silent agreement and copied him, settling back against the ship's interior. She avoided a quick grin, and set about picking at her robes. 

"Do you think I'll have to wear that silly armor?" She asked, finally leaving the white material alone. Radditz raised an eyebrow then arched his neck, closing his eyes. 

"Most likely. You do know you probably won't be able to return to NX29F4 once you are re-instated?" He inquired calmly, opening one eye. She nodded and sighed, tilting her head. Her friend unfurled his tail and reached up, brushing a cheek. "Keep your chin up. You are a Saiyan; this is what you were born to do, and you are proud." She dealt him a truly demonic smirk, and he couldn't help but laugh. A loud beeping interrupted their conversation, and Radditz quickly shifted his attention to the approaching dock. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they braced, the pod heading down full force. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The landing was quick and painless. The pod's hatch opened with a groan, and the two Saiyans clambered out on unstable feet as they regained their balance. Two aliens hurriedly approached, attempting to help Radditz but he knocked them away with a wave of his arm. The two creatures jumped to their feet, saluting him, when they noticed his smaller, green-haired companion brushing herself off. Noticing her tail and composure, they stared in shock as she felt eyes staring at her.

"What are YOU staring at?!" She demanded angrily. They shook their heads as they tried to conceive the image of Radditz dressed in the Letas' native robes. 

"No-no-no-nothing!" The first green-faced alien stuttered. 

"Take us to Lord Frieza. We must speak with him immediately," Radditz snarled, and the little thick-helmeted creatures nodded and took off in a hurry. Snorting to retain her laughter, Khune stepped up beside Radditz, taking a don't-EVEN-mess-with-me stance. He walked towards a door, waiting as its vacuum started up and whipped open, allowing the two inside. 

They progressed through the mess hall, where masses of similarly armored warriors stuffed their faces. Khune winced at the disgusting creatures when a few hoots and whistles drifted her way. Spinning on her feet, she raised her arm and a huge beam began forming, every mouth in the hall instantly closing. There was complete silence, and she nodded in approval, continuing to walk beside her slightly amused companion. They passed through the next door and murmuring erupted into the exceedingly loud level it was before. 

"Frieza will see you now," a small, peachy-faced creature said, bowing calmly to the two newcomers. Radditz nodded and the door opened. Stepping inside, Khune looked around the room warily. This was the bridge; a large, black chair sat in the center of the huge view screen with its back to them. On either side stood an odd, alien warrior, the left one large and pink, while the right one was tall and green, with cascading wavy hair. The chair turned slowly, and a small, white and pink creature sat in the large black folds of the piece of furniture. He was much smaller than Khune had ever imagined.

"What is it you want, you low class Saiyan?!" Frieza demanded in a hoarse-sounding, fractured voice. That's when his eyes fell to the green-haired creature standing beside his annoying, festered minion. "Ah, I see…" The monster stood up, walking across the click-clack floor towards the robed Saiyan. Khune stood as straight as she could, revealing no emotion on her face as she stared straight ahead. Radditz watched the exchange, his eyes flaming with what Frieza instantly recognized as jealousy and total possessiveness. Without saying a word, the short, armored alien returned to his seat. "Explain."

"I found her stranded on a planet in the outer rim," Radditz began. "Her pod was broken, and she had resorted to living on the desolate planet. She had to keep the few creatures that were on it alive, as they were her only way to get food, water, and shelter. I found her, and we destroyed the planet together." He had already pre-planned the whole scenario; he picked a planet, which he had been sent to destroy previously (which he had succeeded in) as the site where he "found" Khune. She nodded in agreement with the story. "Now she is back under the service of Frieza. All we ask for is a new assignment to break in," he finally concluded. The ruler wasn't in the mood to question or investigate, for he figured this third class creature wasn't pristinely smart enough to concoct any sort of misjudgment. He waved them away.

"Fine. I'll have it sent to you," he said. Khune and Radditz exchanged glances before they whisked away out the back door.

"Lord, is that wise?" Zarbon asked in his low, perfectly accented voice. 

"I don't really care. He's not smart enough to pull anything off," Frieza growled and went back to pattering quietly on the arm of his chair.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

  
"That was easier than expected," Khune admitted as they walked down the now crowded hall. Her friend nodded in agreement. "Alright, so that was the bridge. If the mess hall is on the far end, then the computers and navigation should be just behind that door," she said matter-of-factly. Radditz shrugged, figuring she would know better than he did. "You stay guard here, I'll be right back," she said, disappearing into the room. He nodded and took up leaning against the door as if it were a wall, a challenging glare on his face. 

The room was huge. There were wires and screens in every direction, and small creatures bustled around. They didn't notice her at all as she paraded by, approaching a large mass of wires and boxes in the center. The screen flicked to life and she began typing, navigating through password-required screens and confidential warnings. Finally, she accessed the list of assignments. Near the bottom was a red, highlighted name reading as NX29F4. It had a "high level required" banner next to it and was accessed rarely. She deleted it with a flick of her finger and saved, returning the screen to its original task. Khune turned on her heels and left the room, hardly considering the fact that it was entirely too easy.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The two pods took off, fresh and ready. The passengers had new armor and wore scouters on their ears as they rounded away from the massive ship.

"Where are we going, exactly?" Came his companion's voice over the scouter.

"Some planet in the R4-88UI galaxy. Shouldn't take us too long to get there and the time allotted will be more than enough to get the job done," Radditz replied. Khune had requested Saiyan armor, and her friend had decided that it would be a comforting change in pace as well. They had received new, refurbished pods, and she felt right at home as her matching green scouter relayed her companion's transmission. She missed his arms holding her tightly around the waist, but having the entire pod to herself was appreciated 

anyway.

"Sounds good," Khune replied as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The planet was gray, covered with scattered white clouds and splotches of reddish-brown. As he awoke, he tapped the scouter to life.

"Khune? Are you awake?" Radditz asked.

"Mmm… What?" She replied groggily. "Oh, it's you. We there?" He chuckled to himself. 

"You bet, woman. Coming in for a landing on the big, gray blob," he chided. A stifled laugh came across the transmitter as they circled into the clouds. 

The crash was quick, and getting out of the pod was easier. The air was breathable, hardly. Crawling out of his crater, Radditz got to his uneasy feet and made his way across to his friend's pod. She hadn't gotten out yet, and he realized a cloud he had dodged on their way in might have knocked her around. The hatch slowly opened and she stepped out, looking a little out of sorts but not badly injured. In silence, they climbed to the top of the crater to take a look around.

The landscape was completely barren, covered in rocks and small, reddish lakes. The water was acidic and smelled absolutely horrible, making for a difficult trek. The two finally took to the air, searching the planet for inhabitants. Finally, they came across what resembled a city; it was huge, expanses of wide rock buildings covering the surface. There was a lot of action as the creatures bustled about, and the two Saiyans rose into the air.

"These will be absolutely no problem," Radditz said as he raised his arm into the air and shot off an energy blast. They retreated, followed by the city rising into a large mushroom cloud. Khune raised an eyebrow.

"That was it?" She asked, looking back down at the charred landscape.

"They really had no chance. I wasn't in the mood to play," he shrugged, dropping to the ground. Khune sighed and followed, examining the fine work.

"Well, the job got done," she commented. Examining the premises for anything that would jump out and try to kill her, she was content with the safety level and let her tail unwind itself, waving about freely.

"Aaaaah," she said, breathing out. Radditz laughed, curling his tail around hers. 

"We have two weeks to do whatever we like. This galaxy is boring, but I can take you to some of the more interesting ones… There are some free trade planets in the 19U3 galaxy, around a blue star. The creatures are strange but hospitable, and make excellent sparring partners at times," he suggested, starting back towards their pods, which rested perhaps a few miles away. Seconds airtime.  


"That sounds _excellent_. Do they have good food?" She asked. Her friend grinned.

"You bet," he replied, giving her a noogie. Khune turned and jumped on him, half her teeth bared and a weird grin on the other half. Radditz raised an eyebrow and pushed her off, blasting into the air. "Haha! Missed me missed me now ya gotta kiss me!" Growling, the female Saiyan pounced into the air after him. Catching up, she glanced towards his face and planted a kiss squarely on his cheek.

"HA!" Khune sped past the awestruck Radditz, diving towards her pod. 

"That was SO not fair!" He roared, coming after her. She jumped into the ship and swiftly closed the hatch, forcing him to leave and get into his own. "You're a cheater," he said into the scouter. He could hear the sound of her "pppbbbt"ing as she closed the transmission. "Okay, coordinates 1, 359, 9, 75, U, 112, 3, 419," he said as he punched them into the control pad. 

"Affirmative."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The blue star was gorgeous. It's corona was green from reflecting the light of the other average-yellow stars, and the sight was fascinating as the pods rounded towards one of the orbiting planets. 

The landing was comfortable, as the planet was designed with proper docks. She climbed out of the pod, making her way towards where her comrade stood already, his arms crossed. 

"I am _so_ ready to eat," Khune said, rubbing her stomach. Radditz raised an eyebrow and snorted.

"Alright then. Lead us to the food," he commanded a small, pudgy, white-faced creature. It silently hurried along, disappearing into the city of huts. They followed it, walking into an enormous, adobe-looking dwelling, where the smell of many delicious foods greeted them. 

"Travelers under Frieza, I see," said a deep voice. It eminated from a large, green-skinned creature that sat at the back of the hut. Its flesh cascaded in rolls about its fat body, and it watched them with dull, gray eyes. Khune's jaw dropped, but she quickly returned it to its original position. Radditz nodded. 

"We have come to check in with you, the Overlord," he said respectfully. She figured that even though the creature was probably weak as a dog, just having it step on you could crush your bones. 

"Fine, fine, you're checked in. Go enjoy yourselves," the creature replied, winking. Radditz nodded and left the hut, followed by a bewildered Khune. She wrapped her tail tightly around her waist, and they began a walk down the market's streets.

They progressed past shops of all kinds; some sold food, others sold jewelry, a few, weapons. The shopkeepers acknowledged them and offered them free, delectable-looking foodstuffs, which they hastily accepted. After gorging themselves to full, they came to the end of the main street. 

"Where are we, anyway?" Khune asked as they took to the air and flew across the grassy, forested terrain away from the city.

"The planet of Amiga. It's relatively new, and they are greatly supported by Frieza, so under his mark we can get just about anything we want here," Radditz replied. Feeling they were a good distance from the city, he descended. His tail wandered free and he put down a bag of collected food items, flopping down on the grassy hill. Khune floated over to him, coming to a sitting position on the cushion-like turf. 

"Well, that's certainly an upside," she said blandly. Her friend snorted and rolled over, looking at her. 

"I suppose. This universe was so boring," he sighed. "Then I found you again. My father told me you were dead… That day I went on the hunt and became a man. They sent me off to my first away mission, and then I heard about Vegeta-sei." He saw her shudder noticeably, and his tail brushed back some of her wild hair comfortingly. She opened one emerald eye and sighed, flopping down onto the grass next to him. 

"I'll get over it. Who else survived? Anyone we know?" Khune asked finally. 

"Not personally, no, but a royal brat named Vegeta, his body guard, and I think some cousin of mine," he shrugged. "If I'm as up to date as I think I am, the first two should be here on negotiations. I could care less, but if you really wanted to we could go see what's going on." Khune shook her head.

"I'll join you in the non-caring club," she snorted. "But… don't you miss anyone? Your father, maybe?" She watched his vacant, upward focused expression.

"No." Sighing, Khune ran a finger through her hair and batted his tail with hers. 

"I miss Sensei, that's it. He didn't deserve to die," she sighed. Radditz turned and glared at her.

"Do you think ANY of them deserved to die?!" He demanded angrily. Shocked, she jolted up.

"No! …And yes. Radditz! Look at us, we kill for a living. Not even a living, we aren't paid or anything!" She dropped her head and her tail curled protectively around her waist. His eyes softened.

"I'm sorry, Khune, but even though I didn't personally care for anyone on Vegeta-sei, that doesn't mean I don't regret it being destroyed," he lamented, sitting up. He put his arms around her and hugged, then departed and furrowed his brow. "There was nothing I could've done, so I got over it. You should too." She sighed and nodded, curling up on the grass. Breathing outward heavily, she looked up at him. _Those beautiful gems, your eyes,_ he thought, then mentally slapped himself. 

"I understand," she said simply. He lay down, taking the balled up creature in his arms and gave her a noogie. 

"Lighten up, woman," Radditz snorted and laughed as she attempted to punch him in the chest. It bounced off his armor, and he rolled over, trying to get to his feet. But before he could move, she was on him, holding him down by sitting on his stomach with one hand on his chest, the other in the air forming an energy ball. _Demon! _He laughed, but suddenly felt a strange feeling on his lips. Looking up, he saw her eyes were closed, her mouth on his. Shocked, he felt the urge to put his arms around her. He closed his eyes and did so.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Boy, was THAT exhilarating! Oh COME on, you cannot argue with me. = P Alright, I'm really looking for comments and stuff now, because I need to know how to go about my plot… Oh well, I'm sure I can manage SOMEHOW, but it won't be as good. Email me at maxchick@mad.scientist.com!

PLEASE R&R! I do not have the will to write without comments...

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Chapter 4: The Ship of Horrors should be out as soon as I write it up and publish it! = ) 

  



	4. The Ship of Horrors

Disclaimer: Although I wish I did, I don't own or claim to own Dragon Ball Z or any of it's characters... It would be like, SOO cool to own Vegeta = )

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 4 – The Ship of Horrors

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*

OooOoOoh, the fun-ness I have not seen! ^_^ I _think_ the next one is going to be a lemon… 

And PLEASE, comment! Since I whipped out the first three chapters in two days, (chapter one was actually the night of the 27th, and it's now the 28th, so that's more like ONE day) I haven't really given you time to write to me, but I need it now more than ever! maxchick@mad.scientist.com!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*

And the kiss ended. Still shocked half out of his skin, Radditz remained staring at the sky as Khune rolled off. He turned and looked at her, seeing her cheeks were bright red and she looked extremely embarrassed.

"Eek, um, sorry… That just sort of, came out of… nowhere…" She said in fractured 

sentences, covering her face in shame. He smiled and turned, wrapping his big arms around her shoulders and pulled her close again.

"No, it didn't. It came from you. Don't worry about it," he said comfortingly. Shocked, she glanced up and he gave her one of his half-assed grins, and she knew he was serious. Khune smiled and he planted a quick kiss on her lips before getting up. She yawned and rolled onto her back, crossing her arms and looking up at the sky, her tail waving slowly and lazily in the air. Radditz made his way towards the food, taking out a small parcel and sitting down. _Whoa, that was… strange. I wonder what's come over her? My best friend just kissed me, _he thought, considering it. He shrugged. _Either way, it was awesome! _

Khune was absorbed in her own little world. She considered her actions as she watched the unique, multi-colored clouds pass overhead. _I wonder what came over me? You don't just go around kissing your friends, _she thought. But she had a Saiyan mind, and couldn't focus on picking apart issues like those. Whatever happens, happens. She turned and watched her friend pull apart a small, wrapped parcel and eat some of the small cloves inside. He sputtered and stuck his tongue out, chucking whatever it was a great distance. Khune laughed and got up, trotting over and leaning against a tree as she examined the food bag's contents. 

He was an interesting creature. The Saiyan armor greatly complimented his stout figure: tall and big-boned. His face was usually set to 'evil grin', and his hauntingly rough features emphasized his gruesome streak. He was extremely buff, with large scars decorating his face and body ornately. His rounded-M shaped hairline brought out his furrowed brow and dark, onyx eyes. His nose was small and his mouth curved either wickedly or in a focused frown most of the time, and occasionally his thick black eyebrows would rise in shock. His hair was untamed and long; parts of it could be seen by looking at him from the front, sticking out all around his body. Personally, she never wanted to ever face him as an enemy, because she was pretty sure a good jab with his thick, powerful knee could knock a good wind out of her. Khune grinned, and Radditz raised an eyebrow.

"What?" He said, peeved at her stare. 

"Just admiring you," she said. His irritation was instantly forgotten as he got to his feet and stood, watching her with his head cocked.

"Oh?" Still unsure of how to respond, he watched her calm, collected expression. She was _definitely_ smug, and he just _had _to know why.

"Yup. Have you ever considered a trim?" She asked. Instinctively she ducked, but when no playful blow came, she raised an eyebrow. His eyes were plastered to the portion of the tree where her face had once been. Khune insisted on knowing what he was thinking. 

"Hey dodo bird, you in there?" She asked, peering into his eyes. Suddenly, his expression turned to his normal, evil, mischievous glare and he grabbed her, pulling her close. Smirking, he looked at her deep, emerald eyes.

"I could say the same for you," Radditz said, grinning. His tail flirtingly circled her waist, and Khune's intercepted it, the two twining around each other like snakes on a sugar rush. He had never been one for feelings or attractions, but hell, he could feel himself rising on whatever it was that filled his heart and body. This was his best friend in the world, his _only _friend in the world, and she was now making him go wild. She gave him an equal glare and smirked wickedly.

He loved that smirk. It belonged to her, and her alone, for he would personally slaughter 

anyone who tried to copy it. She looked absolutely demonic, her green eyebrows etched in a narrow glare, her mouth in a curved, wicked grin. Khune had her fists on her pronounced hips, and her astounding cleavage was clearly visible. It had been difficult for Frieza's peons to find a suit that fit her and man, did it fit well. Her legs were strong but feminine, her build delicate, yet powerful. Her green hair was short around her forehead, but was at its longest around her ears, from where it decreased in length again to the back of her head. Khune had a steel ring pierced into the top of her ear, which added to her Saiyan roughness. Radditz grinned and wrapped his tail around her waist, pulling her to his with his big arms. Khune looked up to ask a question when he planted a firm, deep kiss on her shocked lips. He squeezed his arms around her tighter, and her hands connected as they circled his neck. Without breaking the kiss, he picked her up and dropped to the ground on his knees, reluctantly separating his lips from hers as he lay her on the grassy ground. Radditz lay beside his companion as she curled up next to him.

"Khune," he said after a pause. "What's happening to me?" He watched her expression change to that of curiosity.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her tail carefully wrapping around his. Radditz sighed.

"I don't know. I just want to keep you close and kiss you all over," he said at length. Khune suddenly relaxed greatly.

"I feel exactly the same way," she replied, flashing him a unique grin. He gathered her up in his arms, and when he felt they were comfortable, the two drifted off to sleep.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*

They woke up as the sun was going down to the sound of the scouters beeping a signal. Radditz jolted awake, an action quickly mimicked by his sleeping companion. They picked up, put on, and clicked open their scouters, listening to the incoming transmission.

"-to report to the Ship immediately. Repeat, all available subordinates are to report to the Ship immediately. Repeat, all-" He ripped off the scouter, briefly nursing his ear before looking at his friend.

"According to Frieza, we're still struggling to finish our mission before the two week deadline," he winked.

"How long do you think it took to get here?" Khune inquired, an implying tone in her voice. Leaning back to relax, he responded.

"A week or two… D'oh!" Radditz sighed. "The Ship should be less than a few hours from here… we should get moving." She nodded. They rose into the air, flying towards the city. 

The pair approached the dock, careening past security as the dove into their pods. Radditz sent the coordinates and the two ships blasted off without a second thought.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*

They had arrived in good time, and had been escorted to the main hall. The pair of Saiyans stood solemnly among the crowd, awaiting whatever had been urgent enough to bring them here.

Two other Vegeta-sei natives entered the room. The smaller one, which had gravity-defying black spiky hair, scowled and navigated through the crowd, while his large, half-bald bodyguard mercilessly shoved other minions out of the shorter warrior's way. Vegeta's eyes searched the pathetic subordinates for any familiar faces, when his eyes fell upon an amazing creature. It had green hair and a dangerous snarl on its face, a form fitting Saiyan suit of armor complimenting her curves. She had an elegant tail wrapped around her waist, and he felt his eyes go wide.

What a fox_! _He thought to himself, making sure not to alert his large, clumsy bodyguard. Vegeta was about to move in, when he noticed a familiar face standing next to her. _Radditz!_ He growled angrily. Just his luck; probably the only female Saiyan left in the universe and she had to go to that ridiculous third class asshole! No foul creature such as he had to a chance against the prince of all Saiyans! Vegeta assured himself as he walked calmly towards the green-haired beauty.

She turned almost too late, catching sight of the cactus-haired Saiyan as he walked towards her. Khune nudged Radditz with her elbow, and he turned, ready to scold someone when he caught sight of Vegeta. Snarling, he gently moved his female aside and jumped into a fighting position. The approaching Saiyan saw the flaming, possessive expression in Radditz's eyes, causing him to pause briefly at the intensity. Vegeta brushed him aside, knocking the taller adversary into the crowd and approached the green-haired demon, who now stood, bristling. He sniffed, then stepped back first in surprise, then disgust.

"Fuck, you have his scent all over you!" Vegeta snarled in a scratched, throaty voice. Khune hissed, her hair beginning to stand on end. Suddenly, Radditz charged into the spike-haired intruder. He recovered quickly and brushed himself off, glaring at his attacker. "I don't want the bitch! She smells like YOU!" Vegeta groaned, his enormous bodyguard finally showing up. "Let's go, Nappa," the snobby Saiyan commanded, and the two opponents disappeared grumbling into a parted crowd. When they realized the fight was over, the other warriors dispersed the circle that had been formed around the struggle. Radditz, still snarling, supported his shock-recovering friend. Khune sighed and regained her composure while still grunting. Radditz couldn't help but admire her extreme upstanding nature.

"You didn't have to do that, ya know. I coulda and woulda blasted 'im to the bowels of hell, where he belongs," Khune growled, but her voice betrayed her underlying gratitude. Her speech became slurred and her grammar quality decreased when she was angry, he noticed. Radditz snorted, but refrained from talking back to the enraged female Saiyan. That's when a strange perfume reached his nose, causing him to stare at her in shock. She noticed his expression and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You… you're in HEAT!" He dropped a few steps back, his eyes wide. Khune continued to be confused, until it registered. 

"Is that why my tail aches?" She asked innocently. Radditz rolled his eyes and he walked back over to her, the scent causing his eyes to glaze over. 

"That's probably what caused Vegeta to bother you too, although he probably didn't realize it," her friend added, who was obviously trying hard to keep from letting his tail drift free towards her. He tightened it around his waist and Khune laughed, but was cut off as a loud sound echoed through the huge hall. Everyone looked up, the massive beeping stopping, much to the Saiyans' relief, their sensitive ears still ringing. 

"ATTENTION!" Called a familiar, raspy voice. Frieza began speaking, much to the entire hall's distress; this was going to be _boring._ After a few moments of introducing and richly coating compliments to the approving subordinates, he began to drone about the Ship's security and new measures that were going to be taken. "And finally, why are we instituting these new policies? Well, there was a recent break-in on the main computer, not to give any ideas, and we have reason to believe some important files were tampered with. This will be addressed as soon as possible, for now, there is a large reward to anyone who can supply us with information." Radditz and Khune shot each other worried glances. "You are all dismissed." The majority of the crowd was confused as to why Frieza didn't just broadcast the message over the scouters; perhaps he wanted his minions to get a good look at each other. Many of the creatures in the hall moved off to the launching docks, for they had returned from missions they were still in the process of completing, or they had just received new ones. The two Saiyans sighed.

"So? What should we do?" Khune asked as the hall cleared out.

"I don't know, we should try to get a new mission, but with all these people here I think we'll have to crash and wait a while. We can get some quarters," Radditz replied, grabbing a green creature with a thick helmet by the collar. "Hey you, get us some corners on the far end of the ship, pronto!" He snarled a little for effect, and the alien nodded and ran off in fear. It returned seconds later, handing him a small, automated password slip. 

"He-he-here you go, ra-r-Radditz," he stuttered, giving the snorting Saiyan a piece of metal and taking off in the opposite direction. Khune raised an eyebrow and followed her departing companion as they walked into the vast maze of halls and elevators. 

They traveled in silence for about twenty minutes when they came to a door. Radditz tapped the password into the keypad and the vacuum door whipped open, allowing them ten seconds to enter before it slammed closed. He took one look around before he blasted the two cameras that monitored the room. Khune quickly went to hotwiring the door lock so no one could open it unless they had a new password, which she wrote down and gave to Radditz. She padded across the click-clack floor silently and sat down on one of the motel-quality cots.

"I think we're safe. Is there any room service?"

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*

They devoured three large portions of a bovine-like animal, plate after plate of some sort of rice, and a vast multitude of other things. Defeated, Khune sank back against a wall, shaking her head and waving away an offering of more. Radditz shrugged and devoured what was left of the cart's graces, shoving it out the door against the opposite wall before the steel vacuum snapped shut. With food in his belly, the intense scent of her faded a little against his sensitive male nose. He was sure the condition had donned on her while they were traveling to the Ship, because he had not sensed it while they were… well, when they were on Amiga. 

She was pretty even when she wasn't in a mad rage, and he came over to plop down on the floor. Khune yawned, watching his movements. The day had worn her out; by the time they had arrived on the Ship, it had been midnight at least. That meant that five hours later it was the wee hours of the morning, but there wasn't a braised concept of time in space. But since they had spent the day on a planet where time was of the essence, Khune was worn out beyond belief. 

She attempted to get up, but collapsed harshly against the wall. They had a room on the far reaches of the Ship, and had a small portal that gave them a view of space. Radditz stopped her from using her legs and instead hoisted her up, carrying her light body towards a cot. He cleared off the measly blankets, removing her uncomfortable armor before putting down the half-asleep female. 

Khune opened her eyes and smirked, taking hold of his hand, which she had gotten hold of while it was removing her armor. Radditz gathered her up in his arms and kissed her deeply, feeling her hands wrap around his great body. A tail wound around her leg—

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^*^*^*

BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am going to LEAVE you HANGING there like DOGS! Woof! ^_^ Awwww I'm sorry my lil chibi fanz, you'll just have to wait until Chapter _6_ comes out, yes, **6**!! Hahaha! The next chapter is lemon and some other goodies I think, but I don't know, I haven't written it yet! 

Tell me what you think! Pleeeaaaase! Maxchick@mad.scientist.com is my email! *^_^*

Btw all, I'm changing the story. I'm deleting "The Cousin" and changing it to "Even the Ruthless Can Fall in Love" = ) I'm changing the chapter titles and stuff too, because it will be about the romance between Radditz and Khune… The sequel will be "The Cousin", it's much easier for me that way.


	5. Laying a Claim

Disclaimer: *pout* No, I don't own, or claim to own Dragon Ball Z or any of it's characters... They are property of the all-powerful, all-knowing Akira Toriyama... *pout* but the least he could do is let me own Krillin! 

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE - Chapter 5: Laying a Claim

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Forgive me for this one. Please. This is actually my first real lemon, and it was hard for me to do in a FREAKING AIRPLANE with my mom like one foot away... Luckily she has horrible vision and can only read stuff if she holds it up close and takes off her glasses ^_^ I _really_ need comments and reviews!! Use MediaMiner's thingy or email me at maxchick@mad.scientist.com!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

**

They lay, nose-to-nose. Radditz sat on the cot, holding the tired Khune in his strong arms as they recovered from the kiss. She felt his tail wrap around her leg, weaving in undefined patterns upon her thigh. He couldn't help but marvel at her body, the exemplary curves, the plumpness of her chest. She put her arms around his neck tightly, kissing him deep as his tail squeezed briefly then relaxed as he pulled her in close. Radditz could still smell her heavy scent, but that wasn't what drove him forward; his heart pounded and he opened his eyes, looking at the creature he held so tenderly in his arms. Khune had a wicked, seductive expression, her lips curved in a smirk.

She was now fully awake. Her stomach was full of butterflies, a feeling she hadn't come across since she was young. She remained with a confident stance, running her hands down his thick, muscular neck and under the straps that held his armor against his shoulders. Khune grinned and twisted her hands, the metal links snapping in her grasp. Radditz raised one furrowed, black eyebrow as she literally pulled his armor apart.

"I don't think they have any more of those in my size," he speculated, fingering the two separate halves. She snickered, running her fingers along his collarbone and shoulders. Khune's tail waved, precariously weaving around his thick lower waist and causing a shudder to run through his body. Radditz, with the help of his extra furry appendage _[[meaning his tail, you sick people! Or wait, am I the sick one for even bringing it up? Oh well.]]_, lifted her to him and planted another deep kiss. Like snakes on steroids, their tongues performed a dance during the exchange, their tails' grips tightening. Finally releasing her, the male Saiyan watched his companion in confusion. _What's happening to me? What am I doing? _Khune raised a petite, green eyebrow and brought her hands to his chest, feeling his rapidly beating heart. 

"I know. I'm frightened too," she confided quietly. He gave her a lopsided grin and his black eyes softened. His tail wrapped around her possessively. It was too bad Saiyans had never come across those corny candy hearts they give out by the millions at Valentine's Day...

"Kh-kh-Khune?" Radditz stuttered nervously. The green-haired female looked up, giving him a "Yes?" expression. "W-wi-will you," he suddenly sat up straight, gaining back his smirk of confidence and composure. "Will you be my mate?" Khune's eyes widened, then she nodded and reached up, kissing him.

**

__

The two children waited outside patiently. A hooded figure made his way across the room to where a hunched over, old, wrinkly creature sat. Hair, long, scraggly gray hair, was flung all about her head and shoulders, acting like a veil. What appeared to be garments hung over its frail body, torn and tattered beyond recognition. Thick, gray robes ornately covered the creature's flesh-deficient arms, dropping loosely to the matted fur carpet.

"I only had one appointment today," she half coughed, half spoke. "And it was... is with the prince." The creature swung its head to the side, as if turning them away arrogantly. It seemed to argue with itself momentarily before swinging back, staring at the visitors from beneath her veil of hair. "Ah wait, I remember... Come, sit." The little girl sat before the old hag without hesitation, but her friend glanced around uneasily before following. The two children watched as the creature cleared some of the hair from a bony, practically rotting face. She examined their very different faces closely; The girl had soft, white skin and her hair was in a cute green bob, while the boy had oddly long, black, wild hair and an olive complexion. The haggard creature smiled as the boy's annoyed expression changed to a soft grin when his friend whispered something in his ear. 

"Come closer and peer into my magic crystal," she said in a hushed, raspy tone. The girl jumped at an opportunity such as this, but her friend was hesitant. 

"Why should I?!" He demanded rudely. 

"To peer into my crystal diamond is to see your future," the hag replied in a mysterious voice. The boy approached, not necessarily a believer in such magic but felt this was intriguing enough. As the two peered into the diamond-shaped crystal that floated before the old being's outstretched hands, she began to chant. They watched in fascination as the clear object began to fog up, becoming opaque, and colors appeared. They formed an image of a neck, a feminine neck. It bore a red, double-pierced mark, which the children instantly recognized as a binding mark. Green hair covered it quickly, and the image changed. A crying, newborn Saiyan baby phased into view, being slowly quieted by a large, muscular hand. The tiny girl recovered, black-green hair standing out in every direction. Yet again the view shifted and revealed a short, buff girl of ten years, with long forest green hair. She was shooting powerful energy blasts from her olive-skinned hands, and she was grinning profusely. Once more it changed and a teenage, almost black-haired green tinted woman appeared, standing side-by-side with a purple-haired man. 

The chanting stopped and the crystal once more became clear; the children blinked.

"Why did you show us this?" The girl asked.

"Because I had an idea of our future, but I needed you two to see clearly and know for sure," the old hag answered. Then, noting their still confused expressions she added, "Nothing for you two to worry about. Now run along." The children stood up and swiftly exited the tent, bewildered, leaving the old creature with a smug expression on her face.

**

Thinking back, it was beyond Radditz to understand why the old woman could be so calm, knowing her and her planet's fate. The memory suddenly seemed fresh in his mind as he looked down at the woman in his arms. Perhaps it meant something.

__

Beautiful, he thought as he examined her features. Khune had "agreed" to be his mate; normally, Saiyan males merely claimed their mates and any sort of consent was unheard of. But Radditz couldn't think of doing such a thing to his best, his only friend. Khune traced her fingers down his chest towards his wide, powerful waist and muscular stomach. He grinned at the movement her chest made as she moved, noticing her firm nipples and round breasts for the first time under the tight under armor. Radditz tightened his tail's grip and winced, causing Khune to raise an eyebrow questioningly. But her question was answered as a large, warm length pressed to his leg caused him to grunt, signaling a high arousal.

Overcome by the sensation, he began to cut through what was left of her suit with his fingers and teeth. She wrapped her now-bare legs around his waist, as if hiding something. Radditz pried the blushing woman off and lay her gently upon the undersheets as she crossed her legs and folded her arms over her naked chest. He smirked and brushed a strand of untamed green hair out of her eyes, pulling the shirt portion of his suit up and over his head, throwing it aside. He leaned forward on her naked body and uncrossed her arms, examining her breasts. Khune felt a deep blush spread across her face, but it was her mate's every right to see her like this. It was not just his right, but it was a privilege to a female for a Saiyan male to take such interest in his woman's body. 

"You are beautiful," Radditz said, kissing her collarbone and chest. His tail played between her crossed legs and Khune smirked and kissed him. Her hands drifted down his waist and into the remains of his suit, rubbing his upper groin. He twitched in anticipation and she paused, looking up. He grinned and kissed her forehead, closing his eyes. Khune navigated her hands down, massaging his large manhood and she was amazed, this being her first time intimate with a male. His normally extremely un-tamed hair was extra wild as he arched his neck and a shiver ran down his spine as she rubbed. Radditz' tail began to tease her womanhood as well, causing her to release her grip and wince. 

She put her face into the crease between his neck and shoulder, her hands clenching on his arm. He grinned mischievously and touched her with his hand, causing her body to convulse as she let off a moan into his neck. Khune's tail fluffed up, standing straight out behind her as she tightened her grip. Radditz removed her hand from his arm and stood up, taking off the lower part of his suit and returning to his knees. 

Admiring her body again, he placed his hands on the cot to either side of her head, planting a deep kiss. He removed his lips to smirk as his tail moved in along her inner thigh once again, teasing her ruefully. Snarling, she ran her hands along his tan, muscular arms. He licked her neck, and baring his teeth, sunk them into the flesh. Khune moaned, and when he withdrew licking the blood from his lips, she responded similarly. Their wounds became like small, red spider bites, and Radditz sat back, admiring his mate. Their tails danced with each other playfully, and he returned to having his hands on either side of her neck when he lowered himself, rubbing her. 

"Don't torture me, Radditz," she asked quietly and he nodded, thrusting into her. They cried out in harmony.

**

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

They weren't sure who made the sound, but they both jolted awake at the same time when it occurred. Khune was confused at first to her nakedness, the strange feeling in her womanhood, and the soreness in her neck when the events of the night before came back to her. Radditz rolled over and promptly put his arms around her and planted a deep kiss, letting go to stand up just as quickly as he had awoken. She raised an eyebrow and watched him put on what remained of his suit of armor. 

"I'll be right back," he assured her, as if she doubted his intentions as he opened the door, stepping into the quiet hall.

It was some time before he returned, and Khune didn't dare leave the cover of her bed, even in the safety of the rewired, unmonitored room. For a Saiyan, she had a developed sense of modesty. After what seemed like forever, the vacuum door shipped open and her tall, redressed mate stepped in, carrying a suit of armor of his left shoulder.

"Finally! I was about to come after you no matter how naked I was!" Khune exclaimed, still holding the sheet around herself but more loosely, apparently in relief.

"Well then, I'd have to kill everyone who saw you," Radditz said. She chuckled, assuming he was joking until she sensed the utter seriousness in his voice and expression. He sat down on the foot of the cot and gave her the armor. "Here you go, woman." Khune smirked mischievously and got out of bed, flashing him with everything she was worth before turning around to put on the armor, leaving her mate speechless. "What the hell was that?!" Radditz demanded, but reconsidered and added, "Not like I minded it or anything, but you can't go around doing that!" 

"Oh? And give me one good reason why I shouldn't?" Khune grinned snidely. She strutted around the room, putting her nose up to his and tapping his cheek. Stunned, he pushed her away and regained his composure.

"Well I certainly don't care what you do, but don't give guys like Vegeta an impression," Radditz said seriously. She nodded, and he sniffed the air. "Well, at least you aren't sending off 'fuck me' rays anymore," he sighed with relief. She burst out laughing.

"You're awful, you know that? Now let's get some food, I'm so hungry I could slaughter half the creatures on this ship and eat them all as an appetizer, slow roasted over an open fire," she groaned, drooling. Radditz chuckled, gathering her up in his arms and kissing her on the forehead. 

"They ought to have breakfast waiting; if they don't, I'll slaughter them all and we can eat that instead."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The mission they were assigned was a more ominous task.

"The Pitans are pretty powerful creatures. They can easily disguise themselves I've been told, but I'm not sure exactly how. A Pitan can trick the feeble-minded, so keep your guard up. They don't have _too_ much power, but a group of them could take out some of Frieza's best warriors. Luckily, the planet they live on is nearing a double full moon and should provide us with decent firepower. Unfortunately, the Pitans are in a recently discovered solar system on the far reaches of the Empire, and the trip is long and rough. We'll make several stops along the way and Frieza's allowing us unlimited time, but will check in until the planet is cleansed. Therefore, this makes it a much more difficult job; we have to harm the surface as little as possible." Khune nodded as Radditz ended the briefing. 

She had already gained a knack for entering coordinates and estimating travel times. 

"It'll take about two weeks to reach our first destination, a small planet under Reagna control in the B19Y087. After that, we'll stop at the fourth moon of the Yiaz star, and finally onto Pitan. We should arrive in about a month and three days," Khune relayed across the scouter as she closed her pod. Radditz blinked, then got over his shock and stepped into his ship. The two crafts launched into space.

"Khune... This is what we're doomed to," a solemn voice said across the scouter. 

"A life of destruction just so we can live?" She sighed. 

"Yes. I don't think Frieza will ever figure out who tampered with the files or what they lost, so perhaps it would be safe if I returned you to NX29F4," Radditz attempted. His voice was guilt-ridden, a strange trait for the normally rugged, unforgiving Saiyan.

"What are you taking about? I'm bound to you, and I couldn't stand to live without you," she said, realizing too late the corny assets to her voice. 

"I don't care, I would die if you were slaughtered on one of these dangerous missions," came the harsh reply. Khune growled.

"Radditz! Stop it! I'm not fucking going anywhere! Let's go to sleep," she cried. "I'll see you in a few weeks." The transmission was turned off seconds later, and she felt her eyelids closing under the pressure.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Reagna was a small, pretty red planet that reminded the approaching Saiyans of Vegeta-sei. 

"We come and go," Radditz said sternly. 

"Affirmative." Khune was familiar with these types of scenarios; the planet was hostile towards the Empire but was under its control anyhow, leaving the inhabitants obligated but not exactly safe. They came into a quick landing on a small, secluded dock. 

"Don't get out," her companion commanded. A few minutes later, she saw him coming towards her carrying a mask. He wore a clear cover similar to it over his face, which apparently filtered the air. She closed her mouth and quickly opened her pod, taking the mask and placing it over her face. Khune breathed out, wrapping her tail tightly around her waist. Radditz took off into the air, flying towards a distant civilization. She followed closely, and they rounded in on the small city quickly. Landing, they approached a metal building stood in the middle of the primarily cloth tipi village. The door opened and slammed quickly behind them, and he took of his mask first, followed closely by his female friend as they stepped into the lighted building. Two of the familiar green-faced aliens jumped to their feet, saluting.

"They're nineteen and two due east," Khune told them. They nodded and took off out the building's front door. Meanwhile, they gorged themselves.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Khune assumed the next stop was easier, as Radditz issued no warnings. They had encountered a large star which had no significant planet-sized orbits, so the five small rocks that circled it were considered rocks. The ships landed on the fourth moon, which was blue and white. The site was in the middle of the ocean; she prepared for a crash landing, when a small pad lifted out of the water and caught the two ships with disconcerting accuracy. It submersed once again, two straps holding each pod down as they descended into the blue water. 

"Radditz! Where are we going?!" Khune cried out as no discernable life could be seen. 

"A few underwater creatures live here, but we are headed towards the automated refueling station. Don't worry, this shan't take long," he reassured her. 

"Whatever you say," she said in a worried tone. Something wasn't right. The site continued to descend, when it finally came to a stop. They waited for a few minutes before a loud click was heard.

"That must be the station," Radditz said. Suddenly, her scouter began to transmit a reading.

"Radditz! There's a power level of 150 heading towards us!" Khune cried. Peering out the window, she saw a large creature moving through the water rapidly.

"200! And rising! Fuck! It's headed straight for us!" He began to fumble with the controls, but nothing was working. 

"Aaah! It's coming!" She screamed, the massive beast turning, widening its immense, thickly-fanged jaws. Radditz went into a frenzy at his mate's cry of fear, and his pod imploded. Swimming out, he blew a hole through the top of hers, positioned to avoid injuring her but still leaving a hole in the top she could escape from. Climbing out, they two Saiyans swam as quickly as they could to the surface, easily outrunning the enraged beast below. They surfaced, and Khune half collapsed in the water. 

"What the hell _was_ that?" She shrieked, putting her hands on her face and shaking out her drenched hair.

"I don't know, but we need to find land. I believe there are a few islands on the planet; let's find them," Radditz suggested, rising above the water and into the air. Khune followed suit, and the two blasted off. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Searching the riddled ocean surface, they finally came across a large, rocky island. Swooping in for a landing, Khune flopped on the rocky sand. Radditz stood beside her, and had managed to recover his scouter. Hers, on the other hand, had probably been ripped off when she was struggling to escape her pod. 

"Attention! Attention! Assistance on 7T39OPI! Crash disaster, creature attack at refueling station. We have no pods and we need assistance!" Radditz called into the scouter. A crackly voice replied.

"The Yiaz star system? Two pods should arrive within a week on the 8, 561, 9, 200, 51, 8 coordinates of Yiaz's fourth moon," came the reply. 

"A week," Radditz translated. Khune covered her face and screamed some indiscernible curse. He clicked off the scouter and sat beside her, sighing. "Let's find some food."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

They searched the island, and returned with a vast multitude of fruits, nuts, and roots that Khune insisted were edible. She had run across many similar types of plants on the Letas' planet, for the oxygen rate, sun exposure, and soil were almost identical on both. They constructed a makeshift shelter, and began the long, slow wait. 

The second evening, Khune was finishing off the last of the small, red vegetables when she heard a sound. Standing up, she tightened her tail around her waist and peered around the shelter, sniffing the air.

"There's something here," she whispered. Radditz opened one eye and slinked over, looking through the woven sticks. Suddenly, there was a loud rustling, and large, yellow eyes appeared behind a large, green, big-leafed bush. It stepped out into the light the other moons reflected, and Khune instantly felt drawn to it. 

It was a small, dinosaur-like creature, with a long neck and thick, heavy legs. It was barely two feet tall, and a long tail dragged uselessly behind it. It had its head hanging low, its eyes closed. 

"Hey little guy, what's wrong with you?" Khune asked calmly. She was about to bend over and looked at it face-to-face, when Radditz put his hand on her shoulder, the hand of reason. She reconsidered and watched the small animal. It whined, and fell over onto its side, breathing heavily. The animal's mouth chewed the air, and its ribs were showing thickly through its fleshless skin. "It needs food!" She realized. Retrieving a round, orange fruit from the shelter, she let the small dinosaur chew on it. Its head raised and watched them, nudging her. Khune grinned and patted its head, Radditz finally deciding to leave it alone. He walked back into the shelter as she nursed the poor creature back to health. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Over the next few days, the small dinosaur had revived, but was now attached to them. Radditz insisted they begin looking for the coordinates that Frieza had designated, and finally pried his mate away from caring for the now revived animal. They flew for a good portion of the day before they came across it.

After rebuilding their shelter and restocking their food, they lay quietly as the third moon passed over head and the sun came into view. Radditz pulled her in close, kissing her forehead and brushing her hair out of her face. Khune grinned and snuggled up; the feeling was becoming more familiar to him, but it sometimes seemed strange at times. It was definitely welcome, and he didn't mind it one bit when they were alone. She was good at keeping her distance when they were around some of Frieza's minions, and this always maintained to be a good thing to anyone who tried to threaten either of them. 

Finally, the sight of two shooting stars appeared. They were slow though, and became larger as they came closer. The two Saiyans flew a short distance away as the two pods crashed, sending up a wave of sand. In silence, they climbed into their separate pods and set the coordinates for Pitan. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Woo man, was THAT hard to write. I finished it for my friend at 3:45 A.M., and am now ready to wrap it up. I hope you enjoyed my lemon =) That will probably be one of the only ones like it in this story, so reread again! PLEASE R&R or email me at maxchick@mad.scientist.com

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The nature of Chapter 6 is still to be determined, so I don't think this will help you much = P


	6. Pitan or Bust!

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 6 - Pitan Or Bust!

I really need some help, people... I have this sick feeling inside that no one's reading my fics! ;-; I got some reviews on my V/B fic "My Way", but I am getting very passionate about my Radditz/Khune dealie and I need your support! I know _some_ people must come here, because I see my hits, but I don't know if that's just me checking up to make sure my spacing isn't TOTALLY screwed up.. Just 

PLEASE R&R!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The planet was gorgeous. It was green, blue, and red, with white clouds and small black spots that looked like large storms. The atmosphere was relatively easy to pass through, and the crash was mild. They had landed in the bald spot of a forest, which _was_ grassy before it became one large crater. The two Saiyans stepped out slowly and cautiously, wary of their surroundings. Small, bat-like creatures flitted through the trees, and the intruders clicked on their scouters for any form of significant life. The screens were silent, so they progressed slowly through the thick, evergreen trees. The sky was clear and was an extremely dark blue, for the atmosphere was thin enough that a decent amount of raw space was visible to make small white dots on the dark sky. A single, large sun passed overhead, and white clouds swirled around. 

"It's... pretty," Khune commented, her tail hanging loosely around her waist. Radditz grunted and walked faster, irritated with the neverending trees. "Perhaps they live in more open, civilized places. In groups," she suggested, gesturing to the fact that the scouters were silent. 

"Perhaps. How about _you_ scout ahead, and I'll keep walking?" Radditz replied snidely. She rolled her eyes and lifted off.

"Alright, fine." He snorted as his mate flew off. 

__

Don't get shot down, he thought. 

Khune felt Radditz' concern subconsciously. She laughed at the fact he doubted her ability to remain hidden; she had found stealth to be a useful aspect that none of Frieza's goons ever even attempted. Finally, Khune reached the edge of the forest, which happened to be a large hill. It dipped into a wide, green river-valley, filled with big red plants. She flew quietly overhead, when her scouter began to go off. 

In the distance, a point appeared over a distant hill. As she traveled closer, many other points began to pop up, and soon Khune realized they were the tops of huge, tall buildings. Gasping, she stopped and stared.

"R-ra-Radditz..." she stuttered. Instantly the transmission came to life.

"What is it?!" He asked worriedly. 

"It's huge. I can see the city from here... The buildings must be hundreds of feet high," she squeaked. The sound dulled in silence.

"Come back now. We can check it out together on foot," Radditz commanded. Khune obeyed without argument.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The two Saiyans walked through the tall bushes, which were actually green but covered in gigantic red flowers. Khune grimaced as she brushed one of the large blooms and it left a large, red stain on her leg. They progressed towards the city, and when the first building-top appeared, Radditz stifled a gasp. The two continued forward and peered over the next hill, where civilization was just within sight. Khune automatically dropped her energy level, causing her mate to raise an eyebrow. She shrugged, obviously feeling quieter than normal. Figured as much.

They sunk to their knees as they neared the top of the hill. The entire city soon came into view; the buildings were all immensely tall, but seemed to gradually increase in height from the outskirts towards the middle, where the biggest one of them all stood, rising over their heads even from this distance. Radditz almost fell down the hill at the enormous size of the behemoths. 

"The full moon is in two days; I think we should lay low until then," he suggested, backing slowly down the grassy slope. Khune watched and snorted.

"Agreed. My scouter is off the charts," she commented, tapping the small machine attached to her ear. The scrolling numbers came to a stop, and the two Saiyans climbed back down the hill. 

They made camp under a large tree, just a few yards away from the edge of the two craters. Radditz sat against the large trunk, his eyes closed and his tail twitching nervously. Khune recognized his attempt to hide it, so she came over and sat beside him. He didn't even notice her until he felt a light kiss on the cheek. 

"Calm down, otoko," she said calmly. He breathed out, putting his face in his hands.

"I haven't gone Oozaru for a long time," Radditz confessed, his eyebrow twitching.

"So? No problem. We transform, make mincemeat out of this place, and leave," Khune said, counting off the lined up events on her fingers. 

"But the last time I transformed, I didn't know what was going on. I lost all sense of right and wrong, I couldn't control myself... I think we should stay apart when the full moon comes out," Radditz sighed, watching her face.

"Well, if you insist... Somehow I would think your Oozaru form would notice a friend or foe," Khune speculated, yawning and lying back against the tree. Her mate grabbed her and pulled her over, causing the green-haired Saiyan to giggle. Radditz cleared strands of hair out of her face, looking down at her fondly. She leaned up and kissed him quickly on the lips before getting up. He raised an eyebrow and watched as Khune stood in a fighting position.

"It's been a while since I got some exercise, and I need to be prepared to fight," she said, hinting. Radditz got the message and got up, shaking the dirt off like a dog. He wrapped his tail around his waist and followed suit by raising his arms to either side of his head. Fists clenched, Khune charged at him. 

__

The small, green-haired girl leaped like a cat, balancing easily on the edge of the steel barrier. It was the equivalent of a fence, as close as there was to it in the largely industrial part of the city. She swayed gracefully, inching along and using her tail to keep herself upright. Her toes supported her entire body with ease, and she twirled on one foot.

He watched in amazement, one thick, black eyebrow raised. The girl noticed her friend's surprise, and, using the diversion to her advantage, leaped at him. He tripped in shock, falling on his back as she landed on his stomach, balancing on one foot. The boy glared and his friend laughed, shaking a finger. She flicked his face with her tail and leaped off, landing on the fence and sprinting away.

Radditz laughed, seeing the exact same expression on his mate's face as she lunged at him. He put up one arm and blocked, the two diving into a series of lightning-fast blows and kicks. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The evening of the second day descended, and they lay arm-in-arm in the grass, looking up through the branches of the large tree they had been camping under. 

"It's too bad we have to destroy this place so quickly... It would make a great vacation spot," Khune said, grinning up at her mate. Radditz watched her, his dark eyebrows in the usual scowl. He sighed and looked back up at the sky. The moon began to rise, and he jumped to his feet.

"Let's split up; I'll fly as far as I can to the East, and you head towards the city," he commanded, concentrating on not looking at the moon. Khune nodded hastily as he flew into the air and headed off in the other direction. She began to float quietly towards the city, her tail standing out straight as she turned her gaze towards the full moon. 

Khune hadn't changed into an Oozaru since she arrived planet she had destroyed as a baby. The memory came flooding back as her sense of reason began to dissipate, her mind becoming a confused mess of emotion and rage. She felt her muscles expand, becoming tougher and buffer. Her jaw began to reach out, her teeth becoming sharp, while hair spread across her body. Somehow, her armor expanded right along with her body as she began to tower up higher, her stomach bulging out and her legs becoming like tree trunks. 

Radditz had to land, feeling the change overcoming him. He stopped thinking, and began to operate on instinct, like an animal. His body built up, and began the transformation.

The Pitans didn't know what hit them. They were a decent people, with customs and traditions, who resembled upright lizards with alert eyes and twitchy limbs. The highest level warriors had been gathering since the Saiyans' presence was first detected, and now prepared to battle as a gigantic ape came lumbering over the hill. It fired beams of energy out of its mouth at random, and beat on its chest with large, muscular, hairy fists. The beast was extremely intimidating, but that didn't stop the upbeat, courageous Pitan warriors from descending on it.

Khune saw the tiny, insignificant lizards fly towards her, and began to swat them away like flies. One blasted her with an energy beam, singing her shoulder. The infuriated ape went into a rage, and closed her jaws around the creature quickly, swallowing it whole. She crushed buildings and Pitans as she began to regain her control, swinging her arms more accurately and knocking a few more opponents out of the air.

Radditz was having an equally difficult time at a city that must have been at least a hundred miles away; he was pummeled by the tiny creatures blasts, but soon overcame them and blew the settlement into a heap of ash with one mighty beam. He beat his chest invigoratingly, roaring and moving on.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Finally, the sun began to come up over the horizon and the moon began to disappear. Khune returned to normal, so tired she collapsed in a deep sleep. Radditz flew over the charred remains of the planet, his scouter showing his mate's fallen power level to the south. They must be somewhere on the opposite side of the world from where they had started, for the landscape was utterly different. 

She was scratched and bloody, but alive and well. He landed and scooped her up in his strong arms, a drop of blood from a wound across his face landing on her forehead. He wiped it off and began to walk, unsure he had the strength to fly again. Finally Radditz collapsed, still holding his sleeping mate in his arms.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

They awoke at the same time, and Khune attempted to remember the night, but recollection failed her. The two Saiyans stood up and glanced around, smoke rising into the air from all directions.

"Our job here is done," Radditz said, pushing off the ground into the air. She followed, and they soared across oceans of reddish water and charred landscapes. Finally, a familiar forest came into view and they swooped low, locating the bald spot where two large craters remained. The pods were in tact and worked perfectly when they were finally booted up.

"The job on Pitan is complete... Heading for refueling on Katurishan," the male Saiyan said into his scouter after contacting one of Frieza's communitives. Khune got into her pod, programming the coordinates into it, and Radditz followed suit.

The ride was long, even though they were both asleep the entire time. Katurishan was the nearest fueling planet, but it was also way off-course. It took three weeks to get there, but was worth the wait.

The trees were red, the grass was red, the sky was red, and there were no clouds. Khune went on a rampage, tearing through the village they had arrived at until she found food, which she devoured instantly. Radditz followed her path of destruction innocently, eating whatever he could find leftover. This wasn't much, of course, but once his mate tired herself out, he got all the loot. The villagers had pretty much cleared out of their houses, relatively familiar with the ways of Saiyans. He was busy eating the remains of a dried steak-like meat when a scratchy voice spoke to him through the scouter.

"Frieza says you and your partner did such a good job on Pitan, you are being granted two weeks leave," the voice said. Apparently Khune had heard as well, and was jumping for joy silently. 

"Fine," Radditz responded in a sinister voice. His mate crept over, her tail practically wagging.

"Can we go back to Amiga?" She asked, grinning profusely. He realized he never could resist that face.

"Sure. Hopefully the negotiations went well there," Radditz responded, curling his arm around Khune and grinning evilly. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The two Saiyans were sprawled on the grass, Khune enveloped in Radditz' possessive hold. They had avoided the inevitable long enough, for there was something they both knew but had been unwilling to discuss. 

__

I guess now is the time, Radditz thought to himself. His mate wasn't about to say anything, so he had to be the brave one. He guessed it was his duty, but he wished Khune would've at least said something helpful when he worried over her during her bouts of throwing up.

"Khune, we have to talk," he said, putting his arms behind his head and using them as a pillow.

"Oh?" She rolled onto him and looked down, raising an eyebrow. Khune examined her mate's handsome face, his drawn back widow's peak, and his now uncomfortable expression. 

"Do... Do you really want to raise a child in a world like this?" He finally asked. She stared at him, shocked. "Don't give me that, I'm not stupid. You know a first bond always has a brat as the result." Radditz watched her face for some reaction, but she rolled off him and curled into a ball, her back to him. He moved to touch her, but she backhanded his arm and her tail curled around her. 

"No, I don't, for your information, but I don't really have a choice, do I?" Khune said in a dark tone of voice. "Neither of us thought about it that night, did we?! Fucking selfish, I am, you are!" She cried, balling up tighter. Radditz felt a pang in his chest and he pulled her into his arms. She tried to fight, but he held tighter until she finally just buried her face into his neck. Khune would never cry over such a thing, but she had fought at it while traveling to Katurishan. Finally, she had just subsided to blocking it out of her mind altogether. She had hoped it would blow over and she could get away from Radditz for long enough to do something about her situation. 

"Let's relax and enjoy the time off. Just forget I mentioned it," he said, brushing her hair back. She grinned devilishly and kissed him deeply.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

How those weeks flew by. Khune even afterward puzzled over it, for it was such bliss that she didn't remember a thing about it.

"The ride to Pitan took... a month, then to Katurishan was two weeks, then another three to Amiga. No wait, was it a month to Amiga? Wait, no, then there was another two to get here again. Either way, about three," she finally concluded. She had come to trust one of the green-faced aliens on Frieza's ship, who had the responsibility of taking care of the Saiyans and their wounds. She had sworn to blow his head off if he so much as opened his mouth to anyone about her or anything even remotely related to her, and the doctor had taken it very seriously. Khune sighed.

"Looks all normal. This is probably the one part of Saiyan physiology I have next to zip experience with or knowledge of, so this is going to be one hell of a learning experience," the alien who she had come to know as Gligar said. He was always looking on the bright side of things, and sometimes even offered a bit of helpful advice. Khune, of course, would never admit to taking anything he said to heart, Saiyan pride at work. But it was nice to have someone to talk to every once in a while about these things. Her mate wasn't the best psychiatrist there was.

"I have to go, Radditz and I are leaving for a mission as soon as I'm ready... I'm not in the mood to listen to his bitching if I'm late again," she groaned. Gligar winked and wrapped up his examination, then handed her a small bottle.

"Take these if you start feeling any of these symptoms: Ear ache, burning sensations in your tail (or oversensitivity for that matter), nausea, or problems with.." the alien cleared his throat, as if implying something. Khune raised an eyebrow for a second before it clicked. She reluctantly took the bottle and shook it. 

"Fine. I'll be back in a few months," she said, leaving the room. He watched her leave, then turned to where she had been sitting. He recognized the chip as a tracking device and smiled. She didn't want to appear concerned, but this would allow him to monitor her even from a million miles away. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Where have you BEEN?!" Radditz demanded as she walked onto the docks. Khune glared.

"Getting a checkup. The doc demanded I get one," she growled. Radditz sighed, knowing this was a valid reason. They climbed into the waiting pods, and programmed in the coordinates of the planet they were heading to. Once in space, he sent a private transmission to her.

"So... um..." He tried to grasp a way to ask, but she knew what he was grappling with.

"Doing fine," Khune replied. He sighed with relief, and they drifted off to sleep.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The mission was an easy success. It took an overall of two months, and only once did she have to take one of the pills prescribed to her. They had landed on a small refueling planet that was so insignificant, it had no name besides the number assigned to it. Khune had already wandered off in search of something to do during the long wait, when Radditz noticed she was gone.

__

Shit! I forgot to tell her about the planet first, he groaned. He was about to go in search of his mate when a little pasty-faced alien came up to him.

"Your ships are ready," it informed him. The Saiyan glared at the creature and it ran off in wide-eyed fright. Radditz grinned and rose into the air, flying east, the direction he assumed she had gone.

Khune had walked just a small ways from the refueling center, strolling through the field of blue flowers. She had ceased to wear Saiyan armor, for at least three pounds had been added to her figure and she had looked pretty ridiculous in the getup. Instead, she opted for her old robes which Radditz had admitted made her look inspiringly beautiful. He could be such an ass, but such a sop at the same time. 

She was thinking about her mate as she walked, when suddenly she felt herself lifted off the ground. A net clung to her arms and legs, holding her in an awkward position twenty feet above the ground. Khune wriggled and looked up, realizing she had walked into some sort of trap. She cursed and fired a blast right through the net, but somehow it was unaffected. 

"WHAT?!" She screeched, tearing at it with her hands and teeth.

"Stop struggling, you insolent creature," said an irritated voice. She looked up as a knife sliced through the rope that held her up, and she went crashing to the ground. Attempting to get up, Khune spun around to face the source of the voice--

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

You can say it. You hate me. ^_^ Aww, I love you guys too. Thanks VegetaGyal for th' review!! ;-; it helps to know SOMEONE reads this stuff. I work so hard... 

I'm sorry this chap took so long, but I'm going back to school tomorrow. I really have to go to bed so I don't wake up and beat the crap out of my dad for bothering me so early... ^_^

PLEAAASE REVIEW! I need suggestions for how to carry on. I know where I'm going with the plot, my only dilemma is figuring out how to get there.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Chapter 7: Cerulean Captors


	7. Cerulean Captors

Disclaimer: NO, I don't OWN or CLAIM to own DragonBall Z or ANY of it's CHARACTERS. ^_^ Although I am considering applying for the rights to Radditz...

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 7 - Cerulean Captors

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

And in case all ya silly people don't know, Cerulean means BLUE. Think Pokemon. Anyways, big thanx to the ONLY REVIEWER who's even BOTHERED to review, or possibly even READ, this story. *sob* Thanks a bunch, Vegeta's Gyal! ^_^ 

REVIEW. PLEASE. And check out my other fanfics: _My Way_, a B/V fic, _Great Warriors_, a sort-of chapter fic about the Earth's greatest warriors and their greatest moments, and then my Pokemon fic _A Swinger's Goodbye _about Brock getting married ;)

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Khune thrashed in the net, finally climbing to her feet. She looked up, staring boldly into large, black, beady eyes. An enormous, blue-skinned hand lifted the top of the net, raising the snorting Saiyan level with its face.

The creature was enormous; its skin was blue, and it had a round snout with a big, gray nose. It had huge, wide ears that fanned out from its pudgy head, and its beady eyes glared out from beneath a chunky brow. It snorted and dropped her back to the ground.

"You certainly don't have enough real meat for a feast... But you seem strong for being a homanid. You will be good sport for the King," the monster said as it walked, dragging her along behind it. Khune merely grunted and crossed her arms. "Ah yes, no need to waste energy."

They traveled for some time before the creature stopped in front of two enormous trees. They were barely an inch apart, and seemed to be like a gate to the forest beyond. The sides and rear were dense with shrubs, plants, and ferns. The creature stepped up to the two trees, spreading his arms and saying something in a strange language. Suddenly, there was the groan of an ancient force as the enormous trunks began to move, gravitating away from each other to form a wide gate. A stone hall stood ahead, lit with torches that hung from the walls on either side. Khune peered around the edge of the gate, seeing nothing behind it except trees and shrubs. She shrugged her head as the beast dragged her between the two huge trunks, which closed slowly behind her. 

The stone was hard on her rear, so she moved onto her stomach instead to avoid the painful prospect of injuring her tail. The sound of what seemed to be enormous cheers and yells drifted down the hall towards her sensitive ears, and Khune jerked on the net.

"Yep, that's where you're headed, pathetic creature," the beast grunted, yanking back on the rope he carried. The Saiyan growled and watched the ground go by beneath her, the stones knocking the wind out of her every other step.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Something wasn't right, and Radditz knew it. His mate was in some sort of danger, he could feel it, he could sense her nervousness. He felt Khune would be able to defend herself well, but her being injured was especially imminent. Regeneration tanks could be used, but if someone other than her faithful doctor conducted an examination... He soared to the ground and slumped in the dirt, feeling largely uncomfortable with the prospect at hand. 

His mate and his unborn child were in danger. Radditz began to snarl, his tail puffing out as he took off into the air, leaving a huge trail of angry white energy.

The ground was completely barren, freckled with small plants and the outward holes of deep underground burrows. He circled the area again and again, gradually spiraling outwards. Radditz examined a single forest of lush grass and shrubs, but finding nothing to lead him, he moved on. 

Suddenly, the scouter began to beep. 

"WHAT?!" Radditz demanded, his voice reeking of agitation. 

"Y-yo-your ships a-are r-ready, s-sir r-ra-Radditz," the voice shivered, obviously thrown off by the Saiyans angry greeting. 

"I KNOW! I will BE there as soon as I CAN, now FUCK OFF!" He screamed, clicking the thing off. Radditz growled and continued, his tail tremoring from the boiling rage. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The echoes of cheers and hoots became louder as they approached a light at the end of the hall. Khune watched with masked interest as the monster dragged her into an opening cavern, where a few similar-looking creatures stared, food half into their mouths. The room appeared to be the dinner hall, and apparently most of the guests were elsewhere. From the sound of it, some kind of stadium...

Khune was bumped in the back by a rock step, and the yells and cheers became immensely louder as she saw what she had anticipated.

It was enormous, rows of seats lining the bowl-like walls. She was dragged down a series of steps and into the ring, where two small, pudgy-faced creatures ran out and cut her free of the net. The Saiyan jumped to her feet, snarling and glancing at her surroundings. Standing a few hundred yards away on the opposite side of the field stood another one of the blue creatures. But this one was tall and buff, its ears flattened against a slender neck. The monster's large legs had silver claws extending from each paw-like toe, and it had a stiff ridge along its back that was constructed of blades. This one was much different than her fat, overgrown captor, and the gleam in its large, beady eyes intrigued Khune's fighting spirit. 

"LET THE GAMES BEGIN!" Shouted an announcer. The same call was repeated, but in a different language. A roar of cheers rippled across the stadium. Khune watched her opponent, but kept her focus on straining her ears. There was a conversation going in the stands just above the stadium's entrance; an extremely large blue creature sat, dressed in all kinds of absurd colors and fabrics. 

__

That must be the king... I wish a knew what he was saying. It's about me, I know it, because he keeps pointing at me, Khune thought, listening.

"-SAIYAN?! You idiot," his voice softened, then jumped up again. "-just watch." She raised an eyebrow and turned back to her opponent, who was glaring and obviously ready to start the fight. She watched, waiting for the attack. 

The creature was slow and clumsy, even though he had looked like a challenge at first. Khune growled at the fact her scouter had disappeared, but knocking an elbow roughly into the monster's neck was easy. It toppled to the ground and struggled to rise to its knees, when she descended and struck it through the back with an energy blast.

__

No point waiting around, she thought. The crowd was utterly silent, watching their fallen champion. Khune stood up and snarled, when suddenly the stadium erupted in cheers. She raised an eyebrow and glanced around, noting the horrified expression on the King's face. Before she could blink, two guards were on her and had some of their amazing rope cuffs around her hands. Khune wasn't sure of where this energy-resistant material came from, but if she found out, she had to get her hands on some of it. The battle had been to quick for the royal's liking, and he stalked out of his seat and down into the stands, stepping out onto the field. The chunky King's arms hung loosely at his sides as he tromped towards her. Khune tapped her foot and her tail tightened around her waist, the approaching monster hesitating briefly.

"As the victor, you can either choose to defeat the remaining challengers or you can be escorted to your cell," the creature growled. She glared back and turned up her nose.

"Bring out anyone with the balls to take me on," she hissed back. The King stepped back in shock, and the crowd gasped.

"Insolent fool!" He stalked away angrily, swishing his hands as a signal to the guards. They took off her handcuffs and four even larger creatures entered, all sporting various kinds of ridges and features. The blue monsters were gruesome and looked absolutely psychotic, circling her like vultures. Khune grinned and turned to the first one, rising into the air much to the crowd's astonishment. She shot a well-aimed blast, blowing up the monster to bits. The other three turned, snarling and jumping into the air, clawing at her moronically.

The Saiyan lowered herself, coming just outside their reach. She dropped, stepping on the tallest one's head, then leaping to the ground twenty feet away. The enraged monsters charged after her, swinging their arms and snarling. They were badly built animals, without tails and over-built chests. Khune stepped off to the side, stretching out her foot as the first one charged by, tumbling head-over-heels as its idiotically designed body toppled to the ground. She stepped onto its back, blowing a hole through the nearest opponent, slightly phasing its companion. 

The blue monster puzzled over its opponent, showing minute signs of intelligence as it watched. 

"So, are you going to attack me?" Khune asked, tapping her foot. The creature crossed its arms and shook its head defiantly. "No, eh? Then I'll have to attack you!" She lunged at it with incredible speed, but the beast stepped aside. The Saiyan regained her composure and turned around, staring at it in shock. After a few seconds, a wicked grin spread across her face. "Ah yes, a challenge..."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

By this time, Radditz' stomach was growling and churning fiercely, having nothing to compile besides air. He got to his feet and began the slow flight back to the refueling station, where he would stock up on sustenance then continue his search. His scouter couldn't even detect his mate's energy, but her signal in his mind was strong. She had to be nearby, but something prevented him from spotting her. In this endless desert, how could someone hide? 

Radditz puzzled over this until he arrived, being greeted by two worker aliens. He barked out his demands and they led him to the chambers where food awaited, obviously expecting a Saiyan-level burst of hunger. As he devoured the feast, he cursed Khune under his breath.

__

Why did she have to walk off like that?! She should know by now that these planets are unpredictable! Radditz growled, chucking the bones of some small animal he had just ruthlessly inhaled. _But I hope she's all right. The creatures on this planet are pretty unforgivable,_ he sighed, burping to signal the end of his meal. He rose to his feet and walked out, restarting his search.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The monster seemed different than it's fallen comrades. It was much sleeker, retaining the immense muscle mass into a more compact, more efficient form. This was a technique that had been mastered by the Saiyan race centuries ago; smaller, stronger muscles were better than show-offish, massive muscles. There was no point looking buff for the sake of making a scene. 

Its ears fanned back as Khune floated into the air, its arms glued in a defensive mode as claws clicked in and out of its fingers like the retractable scythes of a cat. Finally, she moved in to attack, just at the same moment her opponent had also decided to strike. 

She was assaulted with a series of swifts kicks and punches, but easily fended them off. The creature's arm slipped past her defenses, slicing her arm and backhanding her in the face. Khune jumped back, steaming in anger. A large energy ball formed in her hand, the monster watching in curiosity. She fired, and its hands went up, effectively blocking the blast of energy... Suddenly, it shot back, blowing up in front of her. The Saiyan stared in shock as her opponent lunged at her once more.

Khune wasn't sure what had slowed her down; perhaps it was the fact that half her energy was redirected towards other functions in her body, or maybe it was the sluggishness that came with her current state. But whatever it was, she dived headfirst into the ground as the blue monster pummeled her. Struggling to get back to her feet, a clawed fist came down on her again, knocking Khune's devastated body into the ground. 

__

What is wrong with me?! Her tail released from her waist and convulsed as she felt one of her ribs fracture. Suddenly, there was a loud commotion in the stands and she looked up, her opponent temporarily pausing. Another one of the blue creatures had appeared in the King's overhanging box, who was talking swiftly and waving its arms around. The new arrival was dressed in long, red robes, and it had turquoise and blue tassels hanging from a cap between its large ears. The King stood up and hit a bell, Khune's attacker retreating away hastily to his original side of the field. 

"THE FIGHT IS POSTPONED!" Came the loud voice, quickly followed by the translation in a strange language. She attempted to get to her feet, but collapsed back to the dirt in a heap. The robed creature disappeared from the stands, appearing beside her in a few seconds. Two of its fellows scooped her up unceremoniously onto a wooden board and dashed out of the stadium.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Khune didn't remember blacking out, but she sure as hell remembered waking up. She was plagued with an immense headache, probably from beating her head against her stretcher when they attempted to remove her in her sleep. 

Hovering over her was a large, blue face. The eyes were soft and compassionate, and the blue snout was drawn back with age. A big, gray nose sniffed her face and she drew back, swatting it away. Khune watched as the old creature backed up, examining her.

"Who are you?!" She demanded, breaking the silence. It cocked its head and smiled, standing back to perform some sort of presentation. 

"I am Jandebaikaiusytalshanisun," the creature said with ease. Khune blinked, attempting to comprehend the previous sentence. "Call me Jan-sun." She nodded and continued to stare at Jan-sun, amazed at the bright intensity of his robe's many colors. "The fight was suspended because me, being a Kaindeto-healer or mage, as you would call it-sensed the small one growing inside you. I convinced the King not to make you fight," Jan-sun told her, examining the Saiyan's expression. 

"I can fight plenty well, and my health is none of your concern!" Khune snarled, her tail tightening around her waist. She twitched her eye as pain overcame her, the fractured rib in her side preventing her from moving too much.

"Believe what you want to believe, be thankful I got you out when I did. You have a few broken or fractured bones, but your healing process is rapid and my assistance will redeem you to full health in no time." She sighed and lay back, closing her eyes. Khune felt Jan-sun sit at a small metal tray to her left and begin poking through various tools, cleaning them and scratching marks onto a leather strip. 

"Who _are_ you crazy people? You captured me, you brought me here, you made me fight, then you pulled me out because you found out I'm pregnant? What the _hell_ is _up_ with you guys?" She snorted, opening one eye. Jan-sun calmly looked back over to her.

"We call ourselves the Ceruleans. Our King has been wanting entertainment, and not many off-worlders show up here... I generally do not even bother with this kind of thing, for it's brutal and pointless leisure," he paused, glaring nastily off in some unknown direction. Khune raised an eyebrow, watching the annoyed creature's bizarre facial movements. "It's even worse when someone like you is thrown in the ring," Jan-sun added, sighing and turning back to her. "Anyways, you should be getting sleep. I'm in the process of convincing the King to let you go." She closed her eyes and rolled over.

"Someone should be here to get me soon anyway, and when he does, you'll all be dead." Jan-sun raised an eyebrow, and she snorted. Yawning, Khune drifted off to sleep.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz strained his eyes, trying to see for any signs of movement. A few lizards here and there were destroyed as they climbed out of their holes, but other than that, the land was completely lifeless. Except, except for that one oddly placed forest. There was obviously no water here, and when the winds picked up, the trees didn't _move._ That wasn't the strangest part.

Radditz landed, walking up to the two trees that stood at the front end of the forest. He walked around them, ready to step on a small blue plant when his face collided with a wall. He backed up and stared, but saw nothing except flowers and trees... The Saiyan felt along the invisible barricade, realizing every plant, every tree, was fake. He stepped back in slight shock, when suddenly his mind began to race.

A huge pain hit him in the side, toppling him to the ground. Radditz snarled and looked around, searching for a culprit, but when the pain instantly went away. He knew instantly that something was wrong, and he had to find Khune. Now.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

An explosion racked the hall, knocking the tray over. Khune instantly sat up, but grunted in pain and keeled over. Jan-sun jumped to his feet, glaring around for the culprit, when the main dinner hall collapsed. There was the sounds of screaming as people rushed from the stadium, pushing and shoving as they attempted to exit the doomed building. A crash echoed through what remained of the entryway and the medical wing, blasting stone in all directions. 

"Khune?! Are you in here?!" A huge, black figure appeared in the doorway, black hair surrounding it. The question was pointless, for he recognized her instantly.

"Radditz!" Khune attempted to get up, but collapsed under the hindering chest injury. Radditz rushed over, examining her side as Jan-sun continued to back into the opposite wall.

"DID YOU DO THIS TO HER?!" The enraged Saiyan hollered, rounding in on the poor blue creature.

"No.. the King.. fighting, you must be..." Jan-sun's voice faltered as the enormous figure loomed above him.

"This guy's one of their healers, and they forced me to fight a bunch of wussies... He came out and stopped it because he found out I was withchild," Khune clarified. Radditz spun, raising an eyebrow and glaring. She shrugged.

"I'll spare his life, then. Gotta get you to a re-gen tank," Radditz said, dismissing the issue. He picked her up gently and blasted the ceiling, Jan-sun barely dodging the tumbling rock. The two Saiyans flew out and disappeared, leaving the poor Cerulean stunned and rendered unconscious.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz had never self-operated a regeneration tank before. Fumbling with the controls, he finally found the "fill" switch, and the tank holding his mate swelled up with blue liquid. She closed her eyes, the oxygen mask gearing up. He slinked over to the glass surface, peering in at her waving green hair. He traced his fingers along the outline of her face and sighed, leaving the room. 

They had had to travel from the refueling planet to a nearby facility, which was a two week trip. She had semi-healed in that time, which would normally have allowed a regular Saiyan to fully recover. That little baby had had a lot of bouncing around; transforming into an Oozaru, getting smashed around a ring, Radditz was seriously considering limiting Khune's outside access and perhaps making her stay somewhere else. The second this thought entered his head, he knew better; she would refuse so bitterly she would probably end up brawling with him and then furthering her injury. It was a lose-lose situation.

After the week of healing, Khune came out completely refreshed. Radditz looked up and down her naked body, grinning like a ten-year-old given a basket of candy. She put her hands on her hips and scowled, causing her mate to burst out laughing. While still snorting, she came over and kissed him deeply. Once free, the male Saiyan grinned and took off his gloves, drawing them up and down her figure, until he rested on her belly. Khune kissed his cheek and Radditz pulled her into his arms, the two watched silently from beyond the chamber's door.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Wow. I just get worse each time, don't I?!?!?! I'm sorry yuujins, but it's necessary I sleep.. Every once in a while. I'm doing some awesome Radditz sketches (I'll draw Khune for y'all sometime too, but I'm just too darn lazy to invent my own character right now =) 

I need reviews!!! ^_^ and PLEASE check out my otha stories!

~Majin Niña~ (p.n. ErieDragon)

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Chapter 8: Disappearances and Dealings


	8. The Strength to Hide

Disclaimer: No! Darnit, this is ANNOYING! Can't you BLOODY well see that even if I WANTED to, I could own or claim to own DBZ or any of it's characters?! Even if you DO decide to sue me, you'll just get a shaved dog and a cat that looks like a rat! The rhyme is NOT intended -_-

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 8 - The Strength to Hide

I renamed the chapter. So bite me. After I started writing it today in Western Civilization (wow if Mr. Sander found out I was writing THIS in _his_ class, he'd murder me and roticiery my head!) I realized my old title was corny, and after some more thinking (OUCH! My head..) I calculated where I was going to go with this chapter. ^_^ I think the title should be a little more happy, so I'm going to SUB title it over the happy spot. READ AND REVIEW! Thx!

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Khune paced, knocking vases and various decorations off their perches. Her tail whipped the air in irritation, and the crashing sounds brought the dwelling's other occupants from their sleep rooms. At the sight of the restless Saiyan, all of them except what appeared to be the leader backed to their beds.

Radditz had finally convinced Khune to stay somewhere else while he left on a strenuous, transformation-required mission. She was annoyed, depressed, fat, and had a horrible case of cabin-fever. Khune had agreed to live with Gligar's family on his home planet, and no matter how guilty she felt, she couldn't avoid making mincemeat out of her dedicated doctor's poor house.

Gligar's "wife," as he called her, approached the furious Saiyan.

"Come sit down and I'll make you something to eat," the green-faced, oddly clothed creature offered, motioning to the dinner pillows. Khune sighed and sat down, finding this simple task to be progressively more difficult. Gligar's wife, Matel, brought out some small, pasty cakes and gave the trayful to her guest. Khune ate in silence, glancing up continually at her kind host as if expecting to be guilt-tripped.

"I expected a minion of Frieza to be somewhat... different than you," Matel said at last, breaking the silence. Khune sighed and sat back, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You do know why I'm here?" She inquired, yawning. Apparently the small amount of food had somewhat subdued her.

"Gligar said it had something to do with your medical condition. All he told us was not to let you kill yourself trying to escape, or at all for that matter... He said if you did, we would probably never see him again. Something about "that big, hairy Saiyan,"" Matel replied, obviously puzzled. Khune chuckled lightly.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

__

"DOC?!" An incredibly loud, gruff voice called throughout the medical wing. Being the only one around, the green, pasty-faced alien came running. "My mate is waiting in the launching docks. She needs a place to stay! NOW!" The huge, long-haired Saiyan snarled. The little doctor leaped back in fear, pressed against a far wall. 

"Um... My home planet, Outsebald-sei. She can stay with my family the-" He was lifted from the ground, staring into the dark, onyx eyes of the inquirer.

"She better not have a single SCAR! She'll hate being there and will probably try to escape. If she hurts herself at ALL, I will cut off your head and eat it for lunch!!" The monstrous Saiyan shook the poor doctor, glaring into one of his small white eyes. The green alien nodded furiously, sweat pooling around him. 

"Y-y-yes sir!" Frantically, the pasty-faced creature got up and rushed off to dial home.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The alien sipped a hot liquid out of a small bowl, sighing gently. 

"I still don't know what you mean by "different" than what you expected a follower of Frieza to be... It's not like we Saiyans voluntarily work for the bastard," Khune growled under her breath. Matel raised an eyebrow.

"I know... When he took over our planet, he found out we were very good medical scientists. So he refrained from destroying us and employs many of our males on his ship," she confided, peering into the glossy depths of the drink in her hand. "But you're one of his warriors! How is he dealing with your... situation?" Matel pried, putting the steaming bowl on the ground.

"Hmph. He isn't, he doesn't know. Ain't going to. My... my comrade is taking lower level missions so he can still do the job and say I was there," Khune stretched out, her tail laying across her belly.

"You're hiding?" She nodded and yawned. Matel stood up, taking the dirty platters and disappearing with them. Seconds later she returned, waving to the relaxed Saiyan. "Well, good night then." 

Khune fell asleep quickly, the sound of two beating hearts lulling her into sweet dreams.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Radditz collapsed among the ash ruins of the town. He had effectively annihilated all life on the planet, and he was exhausted. The trip had taken a week after "deserting" (as she had called it) Khune on that little alien's planet, and the job absorbed another stressful week. The Saiyan warrior was tired and just plain sick. He had swallowed one too many ounces of smoke and ash, his lungs reacting harshly. He would cough it up, over time.

Radditz slept restlessly, curled under the shadow of a crumbling rock dwelling. He missed the soft feel of his mate when they rested, wrapped around each other for warmth in places like these. He didn't know it, but his mind reached out, groping for that familiar feel, the normal link his mind had with hers. 

Khune was flying in space, soaring past the stars at incredible speeds. She reached out and touched one, feeling the warmth spread through her body. She stopped and was busy trying to pull one of the star's planets out of orbit when a soft glove touched her side. Spinning around, fists up, she saw Radditz' familiar face and grinned.

"You've decided to join me? I'm ready to go home now," Khune said. She was thin and beautifully figured once more, the presence of her pregnant belly forgotten.

"Home? You know there is no place to go home to," Radditz said, brushing his fingers through her wild hair. She sighed and drooped her head, her furry tail curling around her waist. He took her chin in his palm and lifted up her face, smiling. "Cheer up. Things will be alright," he assured her. Khune wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his bare chest. 

"I'll believe you," she said, reaching up and kissing him.

"I finished my job. I'll be back soon," Radditz poked her in the side and flew off. 

"I'm gonna get you!"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Khune woke up, the remnants of her dream fading away. Within minutes, she wouldn't remember a thing about it. 

She strode out of the small dwelling, standing in the middle of a garden. Invisible, electric fences were everywhere, boxing in the small house. Khune sighed and watched the stars. She winced, a kick digging into the inside of her belly. 

"Whoa there, lil one! You'll get out in no time, I'm sure," she sighed, yawning. 

The next few days dragged on. Khune was eating breakfast when a loud crash filled her ears. Racing outside, she saw a large crater that hadn't been there before.

"RADDITZ!" She ran towards the pod, from which a tall, black-haired Saiyan emerged. He watched her odd form with interest as she came to a swift halt in front of him.

"Well, hello there, woman. Let's go. I am taking a leave of absence, whether Frieza likes it or not!" Radditz promptly picked her up, carried her across the crater to locate her space pod.

They were in space before she knew it. 

"I didn't get a chance to... umm..." Khune stopped short. She heard an amused snort across her scouter. "Nevermind. Where are we going?"

"Mmm, you'll see. Where we're going, we'll have to keep a low profile. Turn off your scouter," Radditz commanded. Khune was already beginning to fall asleep, and she turned off the small device. In his pod, the male Saiyan grinned at himself for his cleverness.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Oh! It's BEAUTIFUL!" Khune exclaimed, staring in awe. Radditz jumped in surprise at her comment; amazing things pregnancy did to females. 

"Shh," he said quietly, placing a hand over her mouth and another hand over her eyes. "That's not the half of it." The two had landed on the beach of a rippling ocean. The waves extended for miles off into the distance, and they looked awfully awkward against the beautiful scenery. 

"Where are you taking me?" Khune asked as Radditz flew into the air, carrying her with him. They soared for a short time before swooping low, the male Saiyan setting his mate lightly onto the grass. He removed his hand from her eyes, and she gasped.

They were in a large valley, lush with pines and green floral. Small foothills surrounded the dell, sloping up into rocky peaks. The mountains rose high into the clouds, covered with evergreen trees and caps of snow. The sun shone out from the layers of white fluff, and creating luminous shadows across the serene basin it burst from beneath its veil. Rays of light doused them, the thick mountain air rising to Khune's sensitive nose. She practically fainted against Radditz, who caught her easily. 

"It's... Gorgeous..." She stuttered, curling up closely to him. He took off his armor, holding her close. 

"This is a planet called Earth. The inhabitants are very weak, and this job is at the bottom of Frieza's list. It won't be attended to for another few years, so we're safe. I thought we would stay here until..." Radditz paused, and she nuzzled him knowingly. "I don't know what will happen then, but we can decide when the time comes." He lay on the ground, Khune curling up in his arms. Radditz, with an uncharacteristic smile on his face, dozed off.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

A New Hope

"RAAAADDDDIIIITTTZZZZZ!!!!" The scream echoed across the valley, causing a flock of birds to depart in a rush, a few falling dead from the sheer volume. Radditz jolted awake, realizing he had fallen asleep in a tree while waiting to spring on a pair of deer. They were long gone now, and something was happening. 

They had been camping in the high mountain valley for at least two months. It had been so blissful, Radditz had started becoming impatient. He had resorted to having one-sided battles with the enormous boulders that adorned the mountainsides, which seemed to dull his need to fight. But whenever he laid eyes upon his mate, he was soothed and felt perfectly at ease sitting around and watching her battle with the small baby in her belly. 

Radditz hastily flew towards the camp, where Khune had been desperately trying to escape the bonds he had been forced to put her in. She had started by tearing at her clothes and stomach, and he knew something was near. The rabid Saiyan had been spitting mad for a week, almost as if trying to rip something out of herself. Now she was screaming, biting her lips to the point of blood. Radditz looked around, confused, until it hit him.

"Damnit!" He cursed loudly.

"DAMN YOU!" Khune screamed at him. Radditz jumped back, the sheer sound making his eardrums vibrate. She closed her eyes and squinted in pain, slamming her fist into the ground. He quickly undid her bounds, which had left long purple marks across her arms and legs. Khune relaxed slightly, heaving in his grasp. A shudder ran through his mate's body and she screamed again, digging her nails into his arm. Radditz had to clench his teeth to prevent himself from screaming back at her. He slowly but surely lay her on the ground, and she shrieked again. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It was so... small. Radditz' eyes glazed over as he held the tiny sleeping infant, whose tail was wrapped instinctively around his wrist. It didn't take long for him to figure out the baby was female... His child. The thought stuck in his mind as he stared in awe, the small Saiyan sucking quietly on her thumb. Radditz was jerked from his thoughts when two hands touched his, and he reluctantly gave custody of the infant to Khune. 

She had wrapped her small baby in part of her robe, which she easily cut off. The infant had wild, forest-green hair... not even that, it was more black than green. Her eyes were closed as she slept, her thumb sitting peacefully in her tiny mouth. 

"What's her name?" Radditz asked, genuinely curious. He hadn't been able to manage one of his classic evil smirks since his mate had first gone into labor. 

"Ona," Khune replied confidently. He peered over her shoulder at the tiny infant, the name fitting perfectly. Radditz pulled them to him, nuzzling his mate and looking at the tiny baby. Neither of them cared about dropped prides, about being impartial, or about holding up a mask. A strange feeling began creeping into his mind, straight through his heart and to his toes. Radditz smiled, the emotion tingling his spine. They were a family. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

After finally turning the scouter on, instantly a voice came on.

It was Frieza's.

"Get back to the Ship immediately. Bring your Saiyan whore with you," said the snarling, raspy voice, making Radditz cringe. He turned off the scouter, shivering ever so slightly. 

"What was that?" Khune asked as she carried Ona, who they had managed to wrap in a badger skin. 

"We're going back to the Ship. I don't know what awaits us there, but it doesn't sound good. Fr...Frieza demanded you come." They climbed into the pods and set coordinates. Khune insisted on carrying Ona, and Radditz reluctantly agreed for the overall benefit. She would be better protected with her mother, and the image of Radditz holding the small child may cause too many heart attacks. 

The Ship loomed like a giant clamshell, ready to open and squash them in its powerful jaws. The two ships docked, and Radditz climbed out first. 

Greeting him stood the large, pink alien and the tall, green alien. They stood side by side, glaring nastily as Radditz walked towards them.

"What do you want?!" He demanded. 

"How dare a low class mongrel like you speak like that," Dodoria scolded evilly, kneeing Radditz in the stomach. The Saiyan took a step back, watching them. "Where's your bitch?"

"Yes Radditz, where is she?" Zarbon asked cooly. He had always seemed a little too pretty boy-ish for Radditz' liking... 

Khune stepped out of her pod, the baby absent from view, most likely still in the ship. She glanced around, and was suddenly jumped on by four huge warriors. Radditz hollered some indiscernible words, when Dodoria and Zarbon grabbed his arms, throwing him to the ground. 

"What's going on?!" Khune yelled at the four minions who stood up, holding her captive.

"You're under arrest. The charges against you are deception, mutiny, insubordination, and purging confidential computer files," Zarbon said with an eerily calm voice, his braided hair completely still as he spoke.

"The penalty is death for the offenders," Dodoria turned, looking at Radditz. "And their associates. We are here to inquire about Radditz' association." Khune turned, watching her mate's stricken face. 

__

"Will you promise me something?" The green-haired Saiyan asked as the two lay in the grass. Amiga's sky was especially beautiful that night.

"I suppose. What is it?" He asked, turning to look at his beautiful mate.

"Promise you will never leave me. Promise you won't abandon me... or us." She contemplated his face until he nodded.

"I promise." 

Radditz stared at her pleading face, then turned his eyes cold and shifted his gaze back to Dodoria.

"I had nothing to do with it." The fat, gloated alien grinned devilishly and signaled the guards. Khune suddenly thrashed with one hand, landing a sock right in her captor's face. The three others tightened their grasps, but she forced her way out by kicking the two behind her in the groin and ripping off the hair of the fourth. Khune leaped into her pod, which closed immediately. Radditz watched, almost in relief as it took off into space. 

Her expression was of pure hatred. Radditz had never seen such a look on her face, except when she stared into the horrific eyes of Frieza. He closed his eyes and heard the sound of Ona, his small baby, screaming and crying. The Saiyan screamed suddenly and pushed between Dodoria and Zarbon, taking off into the mess hall beyond.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Well now.. um.. I know it was short, but this is what I had to do in the time alotted... and this was the place to end. Gosh, I'm not even sure what's going to happen.

Please tell me what you think, criticisms and suggestions are all welcome. ^_^

~Majin Niña~ (p.n. ErieDragon)

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Chapter 9: Gone... Forever?


	9. Gone... Forever?

Disclaimer: I don't know WHAT it'll take to pound it into y'allz thick skulls, but I do not own or claim to own DragonBall Z or any of it's characters. That is the *bow* strict right of *bow* Akira Toriyama *bow* ^_^ I'm applying for the rights to the entire Saiyan race!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 9 - Gone...Forever?

Mmph. I have this horrible habit of naming my chapters before writing them, so I rarely use the same name I listed in the previous chapter... I've been home sick for two days (per the assistance of a 60 watt bulb and a very gullible thermometer) so I have had a great deal of time to think about this next addition. I shocked myself when I wrote Chapter 8, and I hope it had a similar effect on all my readers... Hah, like there _are_ that many readers. *groan* I pretty much do this solely for my own enjoyment, and cause my friend Lewis seems to enjoy it so much *wink* Now enough with my rambling. ^_^ Enjoy.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz plowed straight through the vacuum door, breaking off the frame in a mad rage. Every occupant of the mess hall turned to stare, causing the infuriated Saiyan to start screaming. He grabbed the closest thing to him; an alien warrior who was in the middle of attempting to escape. Radditz threw the creature into the air, blasting a hole through its chest with a large energy blast. The body fell to the ground, and he continued screaming, shooting blindly in every direction. 

Frieza entered the room through the Radditz-shaped hole in the door, peering around to add up the damage. Two other Saiyans came in behind him, examining the display of madness with some interest.

"Vegeta, sedate him. I want him locked in one of the quarters on the port wing," Frieza commanded, pointing to Radditz. He was now forcing his way through the next door and into the meeting hall. 

"Yes, sire," Vegeta replied in a dark, raspy voice. He signaled to the large, almost-bald Saiyan beside him and they descended on Radditz, pinning him to the ground. The long-haired beast continued to scream and roar, punching Nappa squarely in the face. The bodyguard backed up slightly while Vegeta snorted, ripping a piece of metal off the doorframe and using it to bind the enraged Saiyan's hands behind him. The prince pulled him to his feet, kicking Radditz in the calves until he began to walk, directing the clumsy, still hollering madman out into the hall.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

It took Khune a matter of seconds to contemplate her options and settle on a decision. She knew they wouldn't bother following her; she would have no reason to come back, and her motives rested upon the screaming baby in her arms. She plotted the course and lay back, trying to calm the sobbing Ona. 

__

Just forget about him, little one. We'll be on our own, but we'll make it, Khune reassured herself more than anything. But she didn't believe a word of it, and set her face to stone as she drifted off to sleep, the baby quickly following suit. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz awoke, his memory in a haze. He remembered her face, set with such hate and pain as he had never seen before. The memory sent him into another rage, but the bounds on his arms kept him from moving very much. His screams and roars slowly turned into a low growl, his tail clinging to his waist, the tip waving frantically.

__

I promise. The growl quickly escalated into a long, dreadful howl, which filled the room and echoed down the hall and throughout most of the ship. 

Vegeta covered his ears, snarling as his food toppled off the low table. 

"Shit! What the fuck happened to that... thing?!" He demanded, jumping to his feet and flexing in anger. Nappa looked up and raised an eyebrow, then looked back to his burnt lunch.

"I heard Dodoria say something about 'dirty attachments. He'll be useless for weeks.' I think it has to do with that female we saw, you know, the one who had his scent all over her," Nappa said with a frown. Vegeta glared down.

"Either way, I want to gag him! That sound is absolutely SICKENING!" And with that, Vegeta hit a fist into the table and sent it flying across the room.

"Well, there goes my lunch," Nappa commented, sighing. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Frieza didn't know _exactly_ what had been deleted from the computers, but if it was so important to her, he sure as hell wanted to find out. 

"M'Lord, should we track her pod?" Zarbon asked in that strangely calm voice of his. Frieza glared at the green-haired minion.

"No point. For one, she's already rewired her ship so it can't be tracked, and two, its a waste of energy. If I ever feel the need to find her again, that monkey Radditz will lead her right to us," Frieza said blankly, caressing the black fabric of his chair with one clawed hand. Dodoria raised an eyebrow, but decided to leave the matter. "Besides, she's running away. She won't come back."

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Khune almost smiled as the beautiful, green orb came into view. Ona was still fast asleep, thankfully, and was probably seeing her second week of life. Khune felt truly sorry for the small being she had brought into the world.

Perhaps she would grow up better here. 

The pod came into a harsh landing, instantly awaking the baby. She screamed and cried as the hatch opened, Khune stepping out into the comfortingly familiar air. The sky was black and dotted with stars, mostly blurred out by the radiance of the planet's two suns. The planet was void of a moon, so any prospect of hurting the Letas was comfortably out of reach. Ona stopped crying for a moment, the strange new atmosphere attracting the infant's attention. Khune surveyed the area, instantly recognizing it and flew off, set with purpose.

Kay, the East village's leader, greeted the Saiyan with a rush of images and thoughts, so jumbled Khune had to stop the alien with a hand. The hairy alien removed its mask, watching her face intently, when suddenly Ona began to cry. The Leta leaped back in surprise, the crowd that had formed coming in closer to examine the child. 

__

That's enough now. We need a place to rest, Khune relayed through a series of images and thoughts. Kay nodded quickly and cleared the thoroughfare, letting the Saiyan pass into the main tent.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Radditz wiped his hands against each other, absent mindedly removing the filth from his white gloves. He sighed, unimpressed with the ashy remains of the landscape. He lay against a nearby rock, one who had been spared of his merciless attack, and stretched out. Placing his arms behind his head, he yawned, and that familiar cold emptiness crept up beside him like a cat. Radditz was close to this feeling, which was devoid of any warmth or comfort, which left him naturally unattached. 

This month was going to be his fifth visit. Every time he appeared, he would scour the planet, and thus would only be greeted by its accepting inhabitants. More than once they tried to dress him again in their custom-dictated robes, but Radditz rudely shooed them away and would continue on his search. He stayed true to the routine, for this was the only place he could think to look. The Saiyan had accepted hundreds of missions in the far reaches of the known universe, and had never once come across the only thing he wanted. 

He expected this time to be no different. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"Ona! Sit down and finish your breakfast! You are not going anywhere until you give me a proper run through of your kata," Khune commanded, crossing her arms like the steel wall she was. The little girl began to whine, but the evil glare on her mother's face stopped her in mid-thought. Ona turned back to her meal and dove in, Khune sighing and leaving the tent.

The Saiyan flew low over the grass, allowing less than six feet between her and the hard earth. The sounds of her daughter's infuriated "Ha! Heeeee-yah!" as she practiced drifted from Khune's ears. She stopped, landing slowly in the throes of the immense prairie. The grass rippled from a light breeze, her tail waving freely as the four-year-old landed beside her.

"Mom?" Khune glanced down briefly before staring off into space again. "You're thinking about papa again?" Ona inquired innocently.

"No! Leave me alone, go bother Em or something," the older Saiyan snarled. Ona sighed and took to the air, flying back towards the village. Khune turned her attention back to the sky, watching the distant stars. Her fists clenched and she gritted her teeth, then turned away. Suddenly, she felt a familiar energy, but too late.

"You look more pissed off than you did four years ago," a deep voice said, affirming her suspicion and fear. Khune refrained from turning around and either embracing him or punching him. She let out a snarl and walked away.

"Get the fuck out of here," she growled, her voice low and dripping of rage. Radditz touched her shoulder, and she spun with incredible speed. He flew back from the immense blow to the stomach. The long-haired Saiyan stepped back in shock, watching her emerald eyes covered in anger and hate. Radditz met her gaze with an equally irascible expression, regaining his composure. 

"I did what I had to," he said at length, his words portraying that he actually believed them. Khune glared.

"Yeah, you did what you had to, to save your own ass!" She roared, her tail twisting around her waist tightly. For some strange reason, Radditz let his furry appendage go freely behind him, twisting with emotion. He knew she was right, this thought searing a hole into his Saiyan pride. He stepped back and turned his head away from her.

"So what? I've come looking for you two for four years," Radditz said, as if this would atone his actions. Khune snorted.

"I know. And this was the one time I failed to avoid you." He cast her a sidelong glance, the harsh reality descending on him. Radditz watched his... former mate in silent shock, unconsciously feeling along his neck. The bite had healed.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Ona finally got sick of waiting for her mother to show up. She left the tent, flying off towards where she had last seen her.

A scream pulled the two opposing Saiyans from their shocked stare-down. Khune whirled around, the forest green-haired girl holding her tail and watching the stranger with what seemed to be between horror and surprise. Radditz' eyes widened, his poise dropping from a fighting stance to a shocked wobble. 

"MAMA! Who _is _that?!" Ona squeaked, rushing to hide behind her green-haired mother. The little girl had never seen another creature other than her mother and the Letas in her short life. 

"Stay back," Khune commanded, putting a hand in front of her daughter's face. She nodded and took a step back, still staring avidly at the newcomer. 

"She doesn't even know who I am," Radditz half chuckled, half grimaced. It was an odd combination of emotions, piled into a single sentence. 

"Of course she doesn't. I made sure she didn't, I didn't want any part of you corrupting her," Khune said in a cold voice. 

"CORRUPTING HER?!" Radditz exploded, and Ona leaped back five feet, while her mother remained in place. "_DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I WENT THROUGH TO FIND YOU TWO?!_" He hollered, his eyes wide and full of rage. 

"No. Enlighten me." 

__

The Caspians were after him. Again.

The Saiyan maneuvered his half broken pod through the fleet of firing pirates, making his way towards the planet where his scouter had indicated a large power and a similar but smaller one. The ship finally burst through the aliens' outer shield mechanism, heading in for a crash landing. 

The planet was pretty much deserted, and the Saiyan managed to brush off a few hordes of giant, ravenous worms. The energies he had detected were two of Frieza's minions, who were cleaning off the planet for sale. He sighed, defeated, and collapsed into one of the dark craters that covered the giant rock's surface. 

Radditz shook off the memory and glared.

"Fuck it. I'm out of here," he finally growled, turning around to stalk off.

"You're... You're my daddy, aren't you?" Ona said suddenly, poking out from behind Khune. Radditz turned around, giving her a quizzical expression. She rushed to him, grasping onto his leg. "Papa! You are papa! Don't leave," the little girl begged. He tried to shake her off, but she grasped onto him with determination. 

"Yeah I am. But trust me, you don't want me here," Radditz told the little girl, finally prying her grip away from his leg. He held her up in front of him by one arm, and she burst out crying. Khune's maternal instincts kicked in and she walked over, taking the sobbing Ona out of Radditz' grasp. 

"Shhh little one," she cooed, but the dark haired girl just cried harder. His eyes softened and he watched his daughter bawl her eyes out, over... him?

"There's probably something wrong with her, you should make sure she isn't sick," Radditz suggested. Khune nodded. 

"Yeah..." She began to walk back to the village when Radditz came up beside her.

"Um, do you want me to carry her?" He asked, earning him a shocked expression. "Well, I want to make sure she's alright, and she is my daughter," Radditz added. 

Handing over the bawling Ona, they made their way towards the camp.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

The little forest green-haired girl was playing quietly with her friend Em and a few of their wooden toys. Radditz watched them, his eyes glazed as he sipped on a bowl of grass juice. Khune leaned back in her chair, wearing a decent outfit made of some gray and white leather. 

"She's so... grown up," Radditz said at length. Khune raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what do you expect?"

"My... erm, the little infant I remember, I guess," he sighed. Radditz wrinkled his brow and shifted his attention to the conversation at hand.

"Figures. I was surprised she figured out who you were," Khune commented, taking a final bite out of the biscuit in her hand. She had been nibbling nervously for the past twenty minutes since Radditz arrived, being the highlight of the entire village's day. 

"Me too." The two watched Ona break a wooden space pod apart, grinning as her Leta playmate began to cry. "She got your attitude," Radditz remarked. Khune snickered and rested her elbow on the table, propping her head up.

"I'll have to agree with you there. Though, I must admit, I'm still at a loss as to why you're here," she confided, raising an eyebrow. Radditz' eyes clouded over as he sat back, sipping his drink.

"I don't know why you think I wouldn't come after you. I... I knew you would find some way out. I didn't want to get myself killed in the process," he said. Khune jumped up, fuming.

"GET YOURSELF KILLED?! What about us?! So you would've let us get killed and say you had nothing to do with us so you could save your own ass?!" She screamed. Ona instantly got to her feet and bolted out the tent. There was nothing in the world that could make her miss... um... Bee's birthday. Yeah. That's it.

"What was I SUPPOSED to do?! I am a Saiyan, so are you. We both know better," Radditz said, crossing his arms and glaring. Khune sighed, leaning back against her chair.

"Point taken." He examined her downcast face, her nicely trimmed green hair in a fluff around her eyes. He felt the urge to rush beside her and kiss her all over, but he kept himself firmly planted in his seat. Radditz shifted his armor and looked around uncomfortably. Khune raised an eyebrow and watched, before adding, "Now that you've found us, what do you want?" Radditz looked up, eyeing her warily. 

"Excuuuuuuse me! I haven't to anyone in five years, give me a break," she groaned, her tail sagging behind her. She turned and began to walk, Radditz taking up step beside her. He looked at her inquiringly and she gave him a classic half-smirk, the image of her as a rude, jumpy twelve-year-old appearing in his mind at the glance.

"The creatures here are peaceful. This planet had been classified as hostile, probably because Frieza wanted it cleansed without a second thought. The Letas, as they call themselves, communicate by telepathically transmitting images and thoughts to communicate to one another. I usually only speak briefly to Frieza's goons before I blow them to smithereens," Khune told him, grinning mischievously at her last sentence. He grinned back snidely and his tail waved free, feeling that there wouldn't be any threat here. He stopped and turned to look at her. 

"I… I missed you," he admitted, his cheek twitching. She brought a hand to his face and grinned, then, he punched her in the arm.

"Ow! What was THAT for?!" She demanded. Radditz sneered.

"THAT was for when you called me an asshole the day you left," he grabbed her by the neck and gave her an immense noogie. "And THIS is for when you apologized afterwards!" They laughed and continued walking, tails winding around each other.

Those green orbs could never be lied to, and he knew it.

"I... I missed you," he replied. Khune stared at him in shock, and almost as quickly she tipped back too far and landed flat on her back. Radditz rushed over, helping her up, then dropped her again the second he realized what he was doing.

"Jeez! Thanks alot!" Khune groaned, rubbing the back of her head. She got up, dusting herself off, when suddenly she was pushed forward, landing in Radditz' arms.

Ona laughed.

__

Great idea, Em! The little hairy alien nodded in agreement. They hopped away, trilling and giggling. 

__

Will your parents ever... what do you call it? Mate again? Em asked, hopping in her white dangling robes. They were just _slightly_ too big for her. 

__

I hope so. Mom has been so antsy and bossy lately, Ona replied, sighing. 

__

Agreed.

Khune stared up, blushing. It was an action that hadn't bewitched her for years. Radditz took a few steps back, but stopped when her jade eyes flashed that radiant glow. Her tail slowly unraveled, dancing in the air as he wrapped his furry appendage around hers. A shiver ran up her spine, a cruel reminder to the long absence of the familiar and comforting feeling. Radditz leaned down, kissing her tightly on the lips, which Khune returned eagerly. She knew she was just getting herself mixed up again, and this time, it wasn't just herself at stake.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

^_^ Well? What did ya peoples think? I don't know, because NONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN REVIEWING! AARGH! O I am seriously considering not even writing the sequel, since this one's almost over.. Oops, I hope I didn't spoil anything.

Anyways, please R&R!

~Majin Niña~ 

Of course, no bets as to the next chapter. Chapter 10 - Hearts for Hearts


	10. Hearts for Hearts

Disclaimer: I am just about SICK OF THIS! I do not own or claim to own DragonBall Z or any of it's characters! If you're willing to sell me Yamcha, I'll leave you alone!

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Chapter 10 - Hearts for Hearts

Okie day, because I got sooo many (HAHAHAHA o.O) awesome reviews, I decided to pull away from my ElfQuest (yes, you heard me, ELFQUEST!) long enough to write something for you guys. This is for Lewis, my awesome reviewer who's been there for me from the beginning. ^_^ He's reviewed like, all of my *really* good work (which is like, 0.001% of everything I do). Thank you Sawnya, Talec, and ChristaBelev for your constructive reviews ^_^ I agree, I _do_ need more reviews! *bows* Wait! Just a second! Urk.. *jerks away from reading the adorable 20 year old comic book* Okay, let's move on...

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Khune awoke, shifting when she felt the weight of a large arm across her chest. Opening her eyes, she saw a big, muscular arm draped around her, followed by a familiar face with eyes closed. She was about to shriek in shock when the events of the previous night settled in her mind.

__

Oh fuck, Khune groaned, curling up in a big ball next to her mate. She was stuck with the big oaf, _again._

Radditz opened his eyes, feeling Khune's movement beside him. He rolled over, pulling her close in a feeling he had almost forgotten. She melted in his grasp, remembering with fear and hope, that although things would never be the same, perhaps all would work out. This thought comforted Khune, so she curled up tightly to Radditz and brushed a finger through his hair, closing her eyes and kissing him lightly on the cheek. 

"Where do we go from here?" Khune asked at length, whisking a strand of green hair from her emerald eyes. Radditz sighed, a black lock falling in front of his face, the smaller Saiyan in his arms nuzzling up, looking through the tress before her.

"I don't know. I don't take a regular pod when I come here, I usually swipe one of the older ones we used to use to send off Saiyan children. They don't know I'm here, but I'm sure someone will go looking for me... Khune, we're a hopeless case," Radditz pushed her face away and rolled onto his other side, tail wrapping around his waist sordidly. Khune threw off the leather-like blanket, swiftly putting on a robe and stomping out of the tent. 

It was too early for much of the village to be awake, and too late for the hunters to be getting ready. The thoroughfare was deserted, much to Khune's relief. She sat on a small crate, her tail beating the tent's outer wall without her noticing. 

__

Why? Why the hell am I so stupid? I... I am bonded with him, I always will be. But it's not logical! Khune beat herself, struggling to regain composure as she held her head. _Since when have I been logical? _She stood up, pacing back and forth. Suddenly, the tent's flap burst open and a poorly-clothed Radditz stormed out, looking around before spotting Khune right beside him.

"STOP WITH ALL THIS NOISE, WOMAN!" He roared, hair in a fluff. She stopped briefly to look up and raise an eyebrow.

"And what, pray tell, are you going to do about it, otoko?" Khune asked calmly, putting her hands on her hips. Radditz felt his eyes dropping to her almost bare chest beneath the robes, but quickly jumped back to her face. 

"Damnit! I don't know what you expect! Would you rather we be tracked and killed?!" He demanded, crossing his arms and glaring. 

"Here? They don't even KNOW we're here, Radditz!! Stop it. Just stop already," Khune's voice decreased in volume as she came closer, looking up from beneath locks of her green mane. He felt the urge to step back, her glowing jade eyes piercing into him in a way nothing else ever did or ever would. Radditz put his strong hands on her shoulders, peering deeply into those emerald orbs. "I... I just don't know what to do! You're here now, but you act like you shouldn't be! We can't go anywhere. This is our only place in the universe... It is your choice," Khune said at length, her voice wavering. He watched with semi shock at her words, then suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Shh. I'm staying here... I can't stand to be away from you two. When I found you here again, I knew being separated from you would be my downfall," Radditz confided, sighing deeply. Khune raised an eyebrow, putting a small hand on his olive, battle-hardened face. Suddenly he reached down, lifting her up and ducking back inside the tent flap. He placed his green-haired mate onto the small bed of pelts, watching her interested expression as he got up, getting out the food that the Letas had set aside the night before. 

After a hearty breakfast in silence, the tent flap burst open and a small, wild looking little girl came galloping through. Radditz looked up just in time as a laughing Ona tackled him, knocking the big Saiyan onto the ground. He was about to strike back from reflex, but stopped himself as the forest-haired girl leaped onto her mother's lap, diving headfirst into the food that sat before her. Khune raised an eyebrow at Radditz, who was still recovering by smoothing back his hair and readjusting the only thing he wore: a tight pair of leather bottoms. His mate grinned devilishly at the low riding garment, plucking Ona off her lap and setting her down in front of the food. Khune winked and left the tent, leaving Radditz with a bewildered expression on his usually scowling face.

"Um.. Papa?" Ona asked quietly, a piece of fruit hanging half out of her mouth. Radditz paused before reacting, not yet realizing that was his new title.

"Yeah?" 

"Are you and mom... er... Are you staying?" She asked, her voice shaking. "Please! Please stay!" Ona began to cry, rushing over and begging. Radditz raised an eyebrow, then picked the little girl up by her shoulders, setting her on her feet. 

"Alright, alright. I'm staying..." He replied with a sigh. Ona jumped up, wrapping her arms around her shocked father's neck.

"YAYAYAYAYAY!" 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

That year was peaceful, passing by like a warm, summer night. I'm sure if you asked either parent, they couldn't tell you exactly what happened during that time, only that it was the best of their lives. Of course Radditz nor Khune showed it, evil smirks plastered to their harsh faces. Only did their fierce, shielded expressions change when the tumbly ball of Saiyan known as Ona would leap through the tent flap, uninvited, and dive headfirst into her parents' leather bed. 

Khune woke up early that morning, holding her head in pain. She pushed aside the blanket, her tail squeezing itself, smarting violently as she walked groggily outside, where she dunked her head into a bucket of water. 

Radditz awoke, feeling the absence of his mate's warm company. He got up, noting the tent's emptiness as he opened the flap, stepping into the silent, village thoroughfare. Suddenly, Radditz spotted Khune with her head in a bucket of water, her body collapsed beside it. He suppressed a shriek as he lifted her up, clearing the water from her face and mouth as she sputtered for air. 

"What the hell were you doing, you crazy woman?!" Radditz demanded as he lay her upon the leather mats.

"Huh? I woke up... terrible head-cramp. I dunked to put some water on my face... Now I'm here. What happened?!" Khune croaked, her vision swimming as she struggled to recompose from a dizzy spell. Radditz lay a hand on her forehead and another beneath, supporting her as she sat up. He removed his palm and navigated the table, finally resting his hand on a small, water filled cup. Pressing it against her lips, Khune drank slowly as she recovered.

When she sat up on her own, Radditz quickly moved away and took up a harsh vigil against the tent's far wall. Khune rubbed her head, then sank back into the covers. 

"It's still too early... Come on, Radditz," she said, grinning mischievously. He returned the smirk, and joined her beneath the light leather insulate.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"So how was your stay at Em's?" Khune asked as they flew home. Ona had stayed for a few weeks in another village a few hundred miles away for one of the Letas' birthdays.

"Awesome! Bee's really growing up... He loved the doll I made him. You know, the one with the wooden bow?" Ona replied, doing small twirls in the air. Khune raised an eyebrow at her enigmatic daughter, then snorted. 

"Your father's been pretty uptight, so you might want to avoid him for a bit. He's getting antsy about getting some training done, so you might want to brush up on your skills in case he corners you for a fight," Khune advised as they reeled to a stop as they arrived. Ona nodded and ran off, eager to tell her friends about her adventures.

Radditz looked up as his mate entered the tent.

"You look like shit," he commented as she sat down. 

"Thanks. You're so flattering," she replied snidely. "If it helps any, I feel like shit too. That took a lot out of me..." Khune flopped back against a thick pillow, crossing her arms behind her head.

"You should have let me get her," Radditz growled, then walked over to her, kneeling down. Khune squeezed her eyes as a head-cramp ran through her, suddenly causing her hand to twitch with violence. He grabbed her palm, squeezing it until the shiver passed. "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm getting the village healer, whether you like it or not," Radditz announced, getting up and hastily leaving the tent.

Within twenty minutes, an oddly-robed old Leta was crouched over Khune, examining her from head to toe. Radditz had made sure not to alert Ona, insisting to her playmate's parents to keep knowledge of current events from her. The village was in a semi-stir, for the illness of their protector was definitely a concern to all.

__

I think I understand, to some extent. She has the Shivers, a condition that we have yet to determine the origin of. She... She probably won't last much longer, for it wears away at her nerves until she dies from exhaustion, the healer said at length. Radditz leaped to his feet, stepping back into the tent's wall. He began to shake his head violently, tearing at the shelter's cloth.

"You're lying! Get out!" He demanded, pointing to the tent flap. The shaman sighed and nodded, hastily leaving the dwelling. Radditz paced briefly before sitting down at her side. Khune was still shaking, but consciousness began to creep back to her. 

"Radditz? What the hell...?" Khune asked, opening her deep, emerald eyes. 

"Shutup. Here, eat a little bit... I gotta tell you something," Radditz said quietly, his eye twitching. She raised an eyebrow but complied as he gave her a small biscuit to keep her mouth busy. "There's something wrong with you, called the "Shivers," or something to that effect. The healer says... Says you don't have a lot of time," he confided at last. Khune spit whatever she had been chewing and turned to stare at him. Suddenly, she sneered.

"Yah right, you're just pulling my chain like you always do," Khune snickered, giving him a playful punch. She looked up, but his stern face and sullen, onyx eyes caused her to do a double-take.

"It's not a joke, Khune," Radditz assured her. Khune's eyes widened and she backed up from her seat, feeling the ground shakily. He pulled her back, embracing his mate tightly. Khune returned the grip as she began to shake viciously again.

"Mom! Guess what! I-" Ona paused, seeing her parents sitting side by side in their bed, her mother tremoring. "MOM?!" She rushed over, but Radditz gave her a glare the little girl had never seen before.

"Ona, go. I'll talk to you in a minute," he commanded. She nodded quickly and rushed out of the tent, leaving Radditz to lay the shaking Khune down and pad her down with leather blankets. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Oh mom... How long?" Ona asked, still wiping tears from her redlined face. 

"A few weeks, perhaps a 100 mile herd-trek maximum," the healer replied. They counted anything longer than about five days by how long it would take for a herd of the village's favorite prey to go a certain distance. A hundred miles was less than a month.

"WHAT?!" Ona cried, breaking down into sobs once more. Radditz pulled the forest-haired girl in close, squeezing her tightly. Khune was fast asleep, but her body still twitched slightly at times. They watched her shaking body with unspoken grief, and the healer quickly removed Ona from the tent to leave the two in peace.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The tent became closed of, large boulders set to block the entrance. Ona knew how to get in through a small flap hidden beneath the tent's overhang, but seldom did so. She wished to see her mother, but the sight of her father, Radditz, kneeling over his shaking, green-haired mate night and day gave the little girl spine-chills.

He watched Khune's tense face as another shudder ran through her body. Parting her shaggy jade-colored mane around her face, Raditz tipped a bowl of water lightly to her sealed lips. Khune sipped, her fingers clenching tightly onto his arms as she struggled to keep her head and neck upright.

"Relax, woman," he said in a quiet, solemn voice. The last two weeks had forced Radditz into nearly complete silence as he kept a dark vigil over his dying companion. Sometimes, when she would briefly regain her strength, Khune would go into bouts of non-stop, meaningless chatter that Radditz gladly listened to. He would not hear her soft, sweet voice for much longer.

The sun had long disappeared over the distant, grassy horizon when Khune opened her eyes.

"Radditz, bring Ona to me," she asked in a hoarse, barely audible voice. He nodded and stood up stiffly, retrieving his grievous yet still jumpy daughter. 

Khune grinned sideways as the little forest-haired girl entered, hopping over and kneeling quickly beside her mother.

"I wanted to tell you goodbye, while I can. The sickness is giving me a few moments of peace, so I will use them to wish you well," the older, female Saiyan brushed a finger through her hair. Ona merely nodded, wrapping her tail around her limp mother's. When she left, Khune beckoned to Radditz. 

"You know what to do, right? The pod," she told him quietly. The black-haired man nodded, brushing a lock from her face before leaving.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Yeah. Mom would be out here every day working on that thing. I guess she was just bored a lot, before you came back, Papa," Ona explained as they approached the pod. "She was always speaking strange languages and programming this or building additions." Radditz examined the extremely well-kept pod. He wound a tail tightly around his small daughter, and she sighed, snuggling up close to his tall leg. 

That night, he snuck into her tent silently. Ona slept like a log, making it easy for Radditz to lift her and carry her outside without a sound. He made his way through the dead village towards where the pod sat, and he quietly placed her inside. Radditz thought, entering in coordinates that were millions of miles away, hopefully a place Frieza would never reach. He closed the pod's hatch, watching his still sleeping daughter yawn lightly and shift positions as the space ship powered up. Radditz turned and walked away, just barely inside his tent when he heard the pod's takeoff.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The shivers had completely left Khune's body. Death lingered days away, for the real effects of her sickness now began to take over. She had energy and seemed to be in perfect health, but her eyes were pale of late, her skin white. 

The night seemed to have passed so quickly as Khune closed her eyes, curling up to the naked Radditz beside her. He held her tight with strength and protectiveness as she pulled the leather blankets up tighter.

"Thank you for coming back for us. What will you do when I'm gone?" She asked. Radditz looked down at his beautiful, green-haired mate.

"It was my duty, and even without that I could never just abandon you. I suppose I'll return to Frieza, invent some amazing story, and hope he doesn't kill me too. But, that wouldn't be too much of a shame, now would it?" He replied, snickering. Khune smirked, feeling along his face with one small, pale hand. Radditz reached up with his own, massive palm and covered hers, closing his eyes. Suddenly, the hand went limp.

"Khune?" He asked worriedly. He looked down, her eyes half open and a small smile on her face. 

"Guess now's my time to go," she uttered quietly, her tiny grip fading quickly.

"NO! Khune!" Radditz cried out as her eyes began to close. Tears sprang to his eyes, flowing swiftly and harshly as he brushed them away with vigor. "NO!" He took her face into his hands, pressing his nose against hers. Khune's eyes fluttered open to look into his deep, onyx irises, which were watery and full of pain and regret. She smiled faintly.

"Don't regret," she spoke in a voice so quiet, it was barely audible except to her mate's finely tuned ears. His eyes moved frantically, searching her face in anguish. Khune's eyes closed, and her breathing slowed.

"Khune.. I.." Radditz stuttered, but when those emerald beads opened once more, he finished with ease. "I love you." Khune smiled, her breath stopping with her last words.

"I love you, too."

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Her body had disappeared in a strange flash, and he knew she had moved on. Radditz was boiled over, filled with every emotion, as he fetched his pod. He threw it into space, where it would await him as he flew off, screaming. He knew space was limitless, a vast expanse of nothing. And now, it _was_ nothing. He would never see his daughter again, and the only one he loved was dead. 

The boiling rage took over, and Radditz began to fire blasts in every direction. He mustered all the strength he knew was within him, gathering it into a huge pulsating ball. He screamed in sheer agony, letting the ball loose in any direction. 

It was too late when he turned and watched the beautiful, green orb that his mate had treasured so, explode. The blast was a brilliant flame, expanding in every direction and shedding rock as far as the eye could see. Radditz crawled inside the pod as he regained his breath, the cold, airless space making his skin shiver and burn. He had destroyed what his love had revered so, admired. Thick, heavy tears ran freely down the warrior's face as he drifted off into sleep, the pod destined for Frieza's Ship.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Earth was different, all these years later. Five? Ten? Radditz didn't know. All he knew was that his brother was on this planet, and he had been sent to find out why the inhabitants had not yet been eradicated.

What he found was more than he had bargained for.

Radditz' brother, Kakarot, had allied with the pathetic Earth inhabitants; humans. He had no tail, yet he had a blubbery, spoiled little brat for a son. Radditz had encountered a strange, green alien who he recognized as a Namek. He had briefly fought with the "strongest" warriors on Earth, but had resorted to capturing his nephew, the boisterous little pipsqueak.

He had an oddly high power level, and it took everything Radditz had to keep himself from comforting the screaming kid. The tailed half-breed reminded him too much of Ona for his own good. 

__

I'll be happy to be rid of him, Radditz thought, sneering at the sobbing brat. Oh, then his father showed up, allied with that bloody Namek. 

Radditz accepted his fate, held hostage by his own brother as one of the disgusting green alien's "special beams" hurtled towards the long-haired Saiyan. He almost smiled at the prospect; death was so welcome. Death... He would see his love again, he would see Khune.

__

Don't be stupid. She, in her own way, is a pure soul. She is resting in heaven now. I am destined for the rest of our kin in hell... Perhaps they would let me see her, Radditz thought with hope as the beam shattered his insides. 

Something about Dragonballs. Oh well, he didn't care. The message had been relayed via scouter to Vegeta and his low-life body guard. That was enough for Radditz, that was all he felt bound to do. From here on out, he could be with his mate again. 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

HAH! I finished. *wipes forehead* This took me FOUR DAYS to crank out! That's pretty darn thought-out! I almost made myself cry. But, luckily, I wrote it, so I felt everything as I sat here typing. What is it now.. Ah yes, almost midnight. On a school night. Gee, aren't I smart? Big thanks to "Schizophrenic Eggplant" on his beeee-autiful, comprehensive review :) I totally agree. 

So. _EPILOGUE! _*yay!* I'll write that when I get the chance. Anyways, I need at least ten reviews before I attempt a sequel, I want to know if you guys think it's worth it! I'm planning on finding our old friend Ona, perhaps, bring her to Earth in some weird, ErieDragon-style A/U! HAH! ^_^

Love y'all, thank ya sooo much for reading! 

~Majin Niña~


	11. Beyond Death

Disclaimer: It's MY EPILOGUE! I am not going to say ANYTHING about the fact that I do not own or claim to own DragonBall Z or any of it's characters! So _there_!

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

*Sniffles* First, I want to say.. thank you everybody. Thanks my awesome-ness reviewers, no matter how few of you there were. You helped me through the drudgery of writer's block, along with the help of my dog and the other various items of interest in my room. Oh yeah, and my music. Thank you lord for old Pokemon CDs! (don't _even_ ask!) I wanna thank my friends, Colin-chan, Tyler, Matt, Wes mah big bwodda, Gena, Lewis (THANK YOU!), Claire, all those lil people, and my online friends. Ian, you probably won't read this but good luck in the navy and remember me! ^_^ THANK YOU to my daddy, who watched all those darn episodes of DBZ with me and cheered and cried right along with me.. You know, I haven't seen my dad cry that often, but those tears flew on "Final Atonement"! Thanks dad for giving me a thumbs up when I told you about my story ideas, and for keeping me going when I fell into a rut on ETRFIL. Thanks to everybody who listened when I went on about my crazy novel, and thanks to my mom who supported my writing in every way possible except reading it (thank god, she was satisfied with the fact she didn't know jack about DBZ.) Finally, I want to give a huge thanks to my Black Notebook. Thanks, friend. That little notebook went through everything with me. My mom seriously thought I'd lost it when I carried my Black Notebook against my chest wherever I went, my little blue Pilot G2-07 gel pen (best pen in the world, by the way) who never died before I finished something. The notebook who never got lost, the notebook who never ripped or got wet. One more! I want to thank all the other fanfic writers out there. Keep striving for the best! Don't give up, and keep on with your stories! 

FORTY-SEVEN PAGES, THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR WORDS! 

Thanks MediaMiner.org, FanFiction.net, and my computer! Thanks KiKi!

EVEN THE RUTHLESS FALL IN LOVE: Epilogue - Beyond Death

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

He felt like he had been traveling for days. Ascending slowly through the clouds, the sun coming and passing at an unknown rate. He went over the events leading to his death in his mind, but settled on the fact he would soon be with her. 

Radditz rose through an immensely thick cloud, coming to an involuntary stop. He had been drifting mindlessly for who knows how long, but now before him a long line stretched for what seemed like miles. Spirit after spirit chittered and chattered, their little white bodies dancing as they waited not-so-quietly in line. The Saiyan, uncharacteristically, stood patiently as the procession advanced. 

What felt like more days upon days, he slowly drifted closer to a large building. The spirits ahead of him entered it eagerly, and Radditz followed suit. 

The inside was built for a giant, and Radditz soon realized why when he approached a gigantic desk. High above him rose a red, pudgy face, complete with a thick, black beard and short, goatlike horns. 

"Ah-HAH! You must be _Radditz!_" The giant boomed, peering over the desk at the tiny, long-haired warrior. "Well, no matter. I am King Yemma, and you have caused quite a great deal of trouble on Earth!" King Yemma remarked. His voice rumbled so loudly, Radditz could almost feel his eardrums bleeding. If he were still capable of such things, that is.

He nodded silently, not particularly eager to pick a fight with the gigantic ogre. 

"You know where you are headed, right?" Radditz gave him one more nod, his chance at seeing Khune slipping away quickly. King Yemma cleared his throat, drawing the tiny, black-haired Saiyan's attention. "But... There is a request from Heaven, that was signed and enforced by King Kai himself. There is someone who wants to see you. I will let you go into heave for ONE hour while I tally your deeds," the giant said, pointing to a large gate just outside his office. Radditz resisted the urge to grin like a gleeful little boy, as he was led to the entrance.

Heaven was a beautiful place. Fountains of red wine and green trees covered the vast expanse, flowing grass and well-kept trails. Spirits played and chattered and laughed, causing the warrior to wince. _Disgusting._

"Radditz?" Came a small, familiar voice. The long-haired Saiyan glanced around, searching for the source of the sweetly memorable sound. But, he could see nor sense nothing. 

Suddenly, from behind a tree, leapt a gorgeous, green-haired, white-robed Khune. Her mane was cropped wildly around her face, her bright, emerald eyes like daggers of jade fire. Silently she ran to him, Radditz squeezing her in a tight embrace. They stood in peace for what seemed like eternity, a blissful eternity, as she remembered every carouse of his body. He buried his face in his mate's hair, her skimpily robed breasts nestling into his relaxed stomach. They were one as they stood, drawing the attention of the nearby ogres. They watched in amazement, most of them mildly filled in on the recent events on Earth. This was the great murderer of Goku? A few snickered at the thought. 

"My Khune..." Radditz whispered, drawing Khune away from him briefly, stealing a glimpse into her emblazed eyes. 

"I've been waiting behind that tree for ten years, and now you have to leave me so soon," Khune replied, her voice low and sad.

"Oh well! Let's enjoy it while we can," Radditz demanded, an evil smirk taking control of his face. She sneered back as they walked off, arm-in-arm, tails dancing and weaving around each other in an endless ballet.

The ballet of life. 

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It was short. So sue me.

Wait! No! Er.. Sue me if you want. You won't get alot out of me. ^_^

I'll miss these guys so much.. sooo sooo much. Maybe I'll write a short interlude or something about one of the mostly uncovered parts. ^_^ The sequel.. *coughs* is being written. It won't be easy, I'm hoping to make the chapters longer. Perhaps one 10 page chapter per week or something... Am I really that industrious? Who knows. I want the next one to be longer, better, and more in depth. I was reading my first chapter and realized how much my writing evolved over the course of this whole story.

But in truth, _Even the Ruthless Fall in Love_ was my real masterpiece, my heart. I'll pour as much of that heart into my other stories as is possible, but my devotion will always remain to Radditz and his fiery mate, Khune.

Oh and by the way, I have some fanart attached to the story ^_^ It's called "A Little Protective?" and it's a picture of Radditz holding Ona as a baby. I've also got a series of Ona pix coming out... In the sequel, she has an EXTREMELY skimpy outfit which I actually had way too much fun drawing in school.. Come on, pretty much all my good friends are boys, and they really seem to appreciate my Ona sketches ;)

Aishiteru to ya all!! Thanks for reading, please review... Look at all my other fan fictions and fan art!

~Majin Niña~


End file.
